Mike Conley, Grizzlies Reportedly Agree to New Contract: Details, Reaction
After nine seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, point guard Mike Conley made the decision to stay put Friday, as he reportedly agreed to sign a five-year, $153 million contract to remain with the only NBA team he has ever played for, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press confirmed the deal.
Once signed, the deal will be the largest in league history, according to ESPN Stats & Info (via ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon):
The 28-year-old Ohio State product was among the top players available on the open market, and while many teams were in search of a solid, reliable point guard, the Grizz ultimately offered the best combination of contractual terms and scheme fit.
Conley is coming off a productive season in which he put up 15.3 points, 6.1 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. He was limited to just 56 contests due to an Achilles injury, however, which put a major damper on the Grizzlies' campaign.
While the Indianapolis native has never been named to an All-Star team, he has long been a steady presence in Memphis' backcourt. Conley has been a regular starter since his rookie season in 2007-08, and his two-way contributions have been paramount in making the Grizz a perennial playoff team.
Despite Conley's strong fit in Memphis due primarily to his commitment on the defensive end, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com initially reported in April that the point guard was likely to leave for greener pastures in free agency.
While other teams had interest in him, the Grizzlies retained one of their most valuable players.
Conley is as consistent as they come when he's on the court, but health has been a bit of an issue in recent years. He missed four or fewer games in five of his first six NBA seasons but has sat out at least nine contests in each of his past three campaigns.
As pointed out by Sam Amick of USA Today, though, Conley was a positive presence even when he was on the shelf because of his leadership abilities:
It is difficult to put a price on intangibles, but there is no question the Grizzlies are paying for them to some degree.
He is a fantastic glue guy who may not be an ideal first or second option on offense, but he pitches in across the board, is a great complementary player and excels as a floor general.
All of those factors made keeping Conley important for the Grizz, especially since no other comparable options are on the roster or elsewhere in free agency. Losing Conley likely would have forced the Grizzlies into a major tailspin, even with a healthy Marc Gasol returning next season.
Keeping Conley gives Memphis a chance to be a much bigger player in the Western Conference in 2016-17, provided it avoids the injury bug.
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