Mike Conley expected to reunite with Timberwolves after trade
Veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr. is expected to rejoin the Minnesota Timberwolves. Conley was traded from the Timberwolves as part of a three-team deal that sent him to the Chicago Bulls.
The trade allowed Minnesota to save cap space by moving Conley’s $10.4 million salary while taking nothing in return in terms of salary back. More importantly, it put the team under the first apron, giving them flexibility to make the trade for Ayo Dosunmu.
The 38-year-old was then sent to the Charlotte Hornets in a separate trade, only to be waived. Since it was the second time he was traded before being waived, it made him eligible to return to the Timberwolves.
In his 19th season, he has been a reliable backcourt presence despite averaging career lows with 4.4 points and 2.9 assists in 44 games with nine starts. He’s provided a stable ball-handler who can still be a factor defensively on the perimeter when needed.
Conley will likely resume his bench role in Minnesota as he helps them push toward the playoffs. The Timberwolves sit in the sixth spot in the Western Conference playoff picture, only 1.5 games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the fifth seed.
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Although Minnesota sits comfortably in the postseason race, the team has struggled to find consistency, splitting its last 10 games. They have dropped their previous two games, falling to the LA Clippers on Sunday in a blowout loss with Kawhi Leonard scoring a game-high 41 points.
Minnesota is among the league’s highest-scoring teams, ranking fourth with 119.5 points per game and 48.2 percent shooting from the field.
