At 37 years old with 18 seasons under his belt and one year left on his contract, Mike Conley's future seems unclear. However, in a recent interview with Marc Spears of Andscape, it was mentioned that Conley has a goal of playing 20 seasons. As a result, he's primed to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves next season. Let's dive into what this news means for Conley and the Timberwolves.
Conley still has plenty of value
While Conley has shown some natural signs of decline, he's still a valuable player for the Timberwolves. In the regular season, Conley averaged 8.2 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.6 rebounds on 40/41/90 shooting splits. These numbers are a step back from last year's 11.4 points, 5.9 assists, and 2.9 rebounds with 45.7/44.2/91.1 shooting splits. In the playoffs, his numbers and minutes have further gone down.
Nevertheless, Conley serves as a stabilizing force for the Timberwolves' offense. His playmaking abilities and high basketball IQ are vital for the Timberwolves as he is their only rotational point guard. Conley is still a high-quality 3-point shooter, which also helps the Timberwolves. Moreover, Conley is a crucial veteran presence and leader, especially for rookie point guard Rob Dillingham. Learning from Conley for at least another year should greatly benefit Dillingham. Conley's leadership has also helped Anthony Edwards grow over the past few seasons.
Conley's longevity is impressive
For a 6-foot guard to be approaching the 20-year mark is an amazing accomplishment. It's even more impressive considering Conley is still a starter and contributing to winning basketball. Many smaller guards decline early and/or deal with injuries. Of the 15 oldest current players, Conley, Chris Paul, and Kyle Lowry are the only point guards. In his interview with Andscape, Conley stressed the importance of taking care of his body and how it's benefited him.
“I don’t have as much money as him,” Conley said about James. “But I put a lot of money into my body as well. My diet is a big deal. My recovery is a big deal. I consider LeBron every now and then, ‘I’m trying to do what you do.’ Whatever that is, I need all that help.” Conley said while discussing how he takes care of his body.
Undoubtedly, this work has paid off and helped Conley extend his career. Given his goal of playing 20 years in the league and that he has one year left on his deal, it feels like a certainty that Conley will return next year.
From there, it will be interesting to see where Conley goes. He may return to the Timberwolves for one last hurrah in his 20th season. Alternatively, they could part ways, especially if Dillingham has a breakout season, and Conley could finish his career elsewhere, perhaps even with the Memphis Grizzlies, where he spent the first 12 years of his career. Conley retiring just before his 20-year goal can't be entirely ruled out, but it seems less likely. Regardless, Timberwolves fans can expect Conley to be back in the mix for at least next season.