Mike Conley is entering his 19th season in the NBA. While there are some concerns about how his declining scoring impacts the Minnesota Timberwolves' season, there's no doubt that his playmaking will be beneficial to the team. Plus, Conley has had an incredible career in large part due to his passing, and his longevity is especially impressive given that he's only 6-foot.
Conley is a classic table setter who organizes the offense for others while not scoring a ton. However, as the NBA has developed into a more positionally versatile game, "traditional point guards" like Conley are a dying breed. Point guard responsibilities now hinge on more scoring and outside shooting as opposed to the traditional role of playmaking.
Looking around the league outside of Conley, Chris Paul (who is likely in his last season), Fred VanVleet, Tyus, and Tre Jones are the remaining traditional point guards. Tyrese Haliburton is a rare example of a modern star who could also fall under this camp as a more traditional style of point guard. There aren't many examples of young players who fit this mold.
For his career, Conley has averaged 5.7 assists and 1.9 turnovers. His ability to set his teammates up while making minimal mistakes is incredibly valuable, regardless of his age. Even in his prime, Conley didn't have the jaw-dropping assist numbers like CP3. Regardless, Conley's ability to orchestrate an offense and high-IQ playmaking make him similar to Chris Paul.
Conley has impacted winning throughout his career
Throughout his career, Conley's style of play has led to winning, most notably with the grit and grind Memphis Grizzlies. Conley was a key piece on the only Grizzlies team to ever make a conference finals and on three of the franchise's five teams to win 50-plus games. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol were the Grizzlies' best players. However, Conley's decision-making and unselfish play made the system work.
Conley was also key in orchestrating the offense for several successful Utah Jazz teams, including in 2020-21 when they were a No.1 seed. The Ohio State product also made his lone All-Star team that season. Undoubtedly, his presence benefited Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
After being traded to the Wolves at the 2023 deadline, Conley helped get the team's season back on track, leading them to a playoff appearance. He later served as a key part of the Wolves' back-to-back conference finals runs, especially in 2024. Uncle Mike has helped Anthony Edwards grow his offensive game and unlocked Gobert. Conley is still one of Chris Finch's most trusted players and will likely remain the starting point guard for that reason. Overall, Conley's impact on winning is clear.
Traditional point guards shouldn't be a dying breed
While the mold of a traditional point guard is a dying breed, it shouldn't be. Look at the more modern version of this style of player in Haliburton. He just led the Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals and was the engine of an unstoppable offense. James Harden has adapted his game to be more of a playmaker as he ages. The value of this was clear as the Los Angeles Clippers exceeded all expectations last season. VanVleet helped transform a young Houston Rockets team over the past two seasons.
My point is, while this type of player is less and less common among players coming into the league, it's still super valuable. Having a trusted decision maker who helps other players will always be a plus, regardless of the era.
Conley's stabilizing playmaking makes life easier for the Wolves' stars. He notably posted a +4.4 on/off offensive swing in the playoffs and a +2 in the regular season. Conley also ranked in the 83rd percentile for assists to usage per Cleaning the Glass. In fact, all of the somewhat traditional point guards I listed outside of Tre Jones had positive on/off offensive swings, with three of them having a +5 or greater swing.
While positional versatility is very valuable in the modern league, having a classic table-setting PG will always be an advantage. Ultimately, as Conley's (and others') career winds down, don't take this archetype for granted.