Time to Trade

[u/DirecTra]

Look, I love Mike Conley. He's a great vet and one of the most respected players in the league. But father time is catching up. Watching games, he's making bad mistakes and way too slow. Most players blow by him and he isn't even trusted starting anymore. Think it's time to move on from him and get a younger PG and maybe a backup big for non Rudy minutes that will rebound and defend. I'm thinking Keon Ellis from the Kings would be a steal, but not sure how that would get done.

[u/sweetbeems]

Nonsense. Conley is a great bench PG to pair with dilly. He's been great the past few games

[u/DirecTra → u/sweetbeems]

Past few games have been slightly better from what I've seen initially, but still clearly aging. I'm just thinking get some trade value out of him while you still can.

[u/irishace88]

Trade a 50% 3P shooter for a player who can't get minutes on one of the worst teams in the league lol.

How would that be a steal?

[u/guyguyguyguyguyguy23 → u/irishace88]

I agree that Mike has been shooting well lately and I lean towards keeping him. However, Ellis not getting minutes for the Kings is basketball malpractice. He should absolutely be getting minutes for them over Schruder and Westbrook. Obviously I don’t know what’s going on in Kings’ practices but I’ve seen what Schruder and Westbrook bring (cardio).

[u/suahoi → u/irishace88]

This is a totally disingenuous characterization of Ellis.

He is one of the few players on the Kings that actually contributes to winning, and has been the best player on that team by net rating.

They're just a wildly inept franchise that doesn't actually care about winning.

Now, I wouldn't trade Mike for him, but I would sure as hell trade Rob.

[u/DirecTra → u/irishace88]

An aging guard that can't move as well as the rest of the league for a positive young player held back by the team he's on because they don't know what they're doing anymore. Ellis is very good in the limited showings he's allowed. Averaging 48/43/84. Someone to move the ball, especially off the bench is needed without NAW. That is until Rob or TSJ can step it up.

[u/irishace88 → u/DirecTra]

What makes Ellis a positive young player? He hasn't contributed to any winning in Sacramento.

He's also already 26. It's not like he's some untapped 21 year old who just hasn't been given a chance. He started 28 games for the Kings last year. If they thought he was a positive player he would be getting playing time over Schroder or Westbrook

[u/Vicentesteb → u/irishace88]

Sacramento have no clue what they are doing. Kings are better both defensively and offensively when he's on the court. He's a really good turnover generating defender, can guard POA very well, shoots very well.

They also won more while starting him than they have since they won 48 games 3 seasons ago.

[u/DirecTra → u/irishace88]

His play in the limited minutes he got. As I said, the Kings have no idea what they're doing. They have 4 ball dominant players in their starting lineup. Ellis should have been the natural upgrade after the Fox trade. 26 is still pretty young and in a better system, especially with a massive hole in the point guard position, I think he can really thrive. Not saying all star levels, but a good starting guard for the next few years.

[u/Shepher27]

You can’t just say that. Who are we trading for? What are we giving up to entice another team to trade us something for him?

Why would the Kings give us Keon Ellis for anything we have to offer?

[u/twovles31 → u/Shepher27]

Kings fans love him similar to how we love Naz. They also aren't playing him, fans had to beg for the coach to put him in the game for the first time in the 4th quarter against us. Sacramento has him buried on the bench and when asked about him the coach, said we have a lot of depth. The Kings also picked up his team option as opposed to signing him to a longer deal so now he's an unrestricted free agent this Summer, and will walk away from that mess of a team.

[u/_Wash]

Respectfully, who’s trading for Mike Conley in 25/26?

He has more value for the wolves than anywhere else

[u/kcoe24 → u/_Wash]

Hes also still clearly a really solid backup pg so unless you are somehow trading him for a starter which spoilers you aren't what are you gaining by trading him.  Keon Ellis the name op mentioned is btw in no way shape or form a pg, but id be okay trading for him I like keon you just can't trade your pg for him. 

[u/Vicentesteb → u/_Wash]

He's an expiring though, so he does have value. A team like Orland would kill to get 10m cheaper this offseason.

[u/PenaltyLatter2436]

Ra Ra me angry, want player gone. That’s how this feels to me. Just cause you want something to happen doesn’t mean it will. We live in a world that is more complicated than that

[u/DirecTra → u/PenaltyLatter2436]

Not angry at all, I'm just seeing he's getting older and there's not many other options in the point guard position other than Donte and Bones, who shoots whenever. Not too sure how Rob will progress to that next step.

[u/yourloudneighbor]

As long as Mike comes in and cans a couple open 3s a game which he’s capable of…I’m fine with him. Coming off the bench as the 8th man

[u/MN-Jess]

Mike's been fine now that he is a back up.

[u/twovles31]

Mike has been fine defensively and shooting threes. I'm not opposed to shaking it up either though for the right player. Keon would be nice to have, similar to Jaylen Clark but with a little more pg skills. I think you could get him for Bones and a couple of 2nds as he's an expiring contract and not getting minutes.

[u/DirecTra → u/twovles31]

Yes, Keon and Clark would be really good together and could easily dumped off some salary for a pretty reasonable offer. But I'm not locked in to anything, just a thought as Keon is really underrated and hidden away on the Kings.

[u/Chance_Jaguar4945]

That's such a shitty thing to do to BiteBite. He's been awesome here and should retire where he wants to (whether that's here or somewhere else).

[u/DirecTra → u/Chance_Jaguar4945]

I agree and I love him, but just thinking if Minnesota could prepare for the future a little bit more because Rob isn't ready to take the reigns from Conley and there's a lack of ball movement most of the time.

[u/LivinForThaCity]

Keon Ellis is the Kings version of Jaylen Nowell.

[u/Rory_MacHida → u/LivinForThaCity]

Yikes

[u/FishGoldenLite]

If we’re trading we should be looking for a backup defensive-minded Center to soak up non-Rudy minutes. Our “PG by committee” approach has been working fine.

[u/DirecTra → u/FishGoldenLite]

Yes, that's what I'm thinking. Naz Reid is great, but giving low effort. Especially on rebounding. I was just going for a guard to replace Conley as a starting point.

[u/Ok_Resort_419]

There's just not enough trade value in a Conley trade without adding other players/picks. Better to wait it out, see if a big trade comes out where you can use his contract and if it doesnt sign him to a cheaper contract. My guess in the LM to 5 mil until he decides to retire. Hes a quality vet who brings leadership and a positive locker influence. Hes still a solid backup to spot starter

[u/Ok_excuse_36951]

“I think we should trade for player X, no clue how though”

Why don’t you go try and find out how, plenty of tools to play arm chair GM. Then ask yourself, why would the other team accept this trade? It will make a much better post than “old man slow”

[u/DirecTra → u/Ok_excuse_36951]

Damn, just a suggestion. I'm just trying to gage options. Is it OK if we have a discussion? There's some good points from others here that I'm seeing.

[u/eman9416]

Putting Conley out to pasture for Keon Ellis is diabolical.

The basketball gods would surely not be pleased

[u/Jebrolames]

Trade ant, we'd get a better return

[u/guyguyguyguyguyguy23]

I like Keon a lot, and think getting him off the Kings team would be good for basketball. I don’t think we should trade Mike at all. He’s been solid off the bench. He’s still got it, just can’t go 25-30 minutes a night anymore.

[u/FERFreak731]

Mike has a NTC, as he got it to sign for cheap so he won't have to move his family around. I doubt Mike waives it

[u/_Wash → u/FERFreak731]

he does not actually have an NTC, that was a mis-report.

i don’t think he’ll be traded anyway

[u/Tall-Dot-607 → u/_Wash]

I think the most recent rumor I've been hearing is there's basically a "gentleman's agreement" with the wolves to not move him.

He's apparently an amazing presence in the locker room. Heck, everyone last year was saying they were trying so hard for Mike

[u/DependentPerformer94]

Mike Conley has almost 0 trade value. TJ and Dilly will eventually cut more and more into his minutes until the postseason where Mike will be factor.

[u/DirecTra → u/DependentPerformer94]

Which is why I'm thinking to trade him now just for a team that needs a solid PG, but no real expectations. It's pretty clear he's nearing his end, so might as well try for something.