In his 19th year, and with his contract up after this season, Mike Conley's NBA future always seemed unclear. However, his former teammate and current NBC analyst, Austin Rivers, quietly spilled the beans on Conley's NBA future earlier this week, saying this is likely his last season.
"And I talked to Mike [Conley] a month ago, and he's like, 'this is probably it, this is my last year.' So that's where his head is at. Timberwolves are trying to win a championship, so those things don't coincide," Rivers said.
It makes sense for Conley to retire
Honestly, Rivers' comments aren't exactly a shocker. At 38, Conley is clearly near the end of the road, and frankly, this level of longevity is rare for a small guard. He is averaging a career-low 18.4 minutes, 5 points, and 3 assists. Conley has previously expressed interest in playing 20 seasons, and maybe he still will. Nevertheless, based on Rivers' comments and Conley's declining play, retirement seems likely.
Conley still offers some value as a steady playmaker, spot-up shooter, and his basketball IQ remains stellar. Furthermore, Conley's leadership is something the Wolves clearly value. Regardless, Conley's decline as a shot creator and lack of burst are clear. At this point, he's best utilized in a low minutes role. I don't know if Conley would like to return for an age-39 season, in a likely further diminished role.
He has had a terrific career and should be remembered fondly by Timberwolves fans. Nevertheless, unless Conley feels comfortable returning to the Timberwolves (or signing with another team) and taking on an extremely limited role as a veteran presence, it's probably in his best interest to call it quits. I could totally see Conley becoming a coach after his playing days; perhaps he would immediately transition to the Wolves coaching staff.
One key question for the Timberwolves ahead of the deadline is whether they will be willing to part ways with Conley. Second-year guard Rob Dillingham seems like a clear trade candidate. Still, to match contracts for mid-tier salary players, the Wolves would have to include either Conley or Donte DiVincenzo. I doubt that the Wolves trade DiVincenzo, given how much they value depth and his well-rounded impact.
While his on-court value is no longer significant, I've always been skeptical of the idea that Conley could be traded. I thought it was a possibility after Jake Fischer reported the idea that the Wolves could look to combine Conley's and Dillingham's salaries to target an upgrade.
Now, with Rivers' comments, I once again have doubts that Conley could be traded. If Conley has told the Wolves that this is certainly his last season, it would simply feel wrong to trade him even if this limits the team's trade targets.