All-Star Mike Conley's Free Agent Future


ESPN's Brian Windhorst and The Athletic's Tony Jones have both discussed Utah Jazz point guard Mike Conley's free agency prospects, and each have opined that Conley is "likely to stay with the Jazz", though the price tag "won't be cheap."

The Jazz will need to shed some salary to be able to make the sizeable offer that Conley will command on the open market. This past season, he averaged 16.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 6.0 apg, while shooting 41.2% from beyond the arc. 

Windhorst believes that "after watching Chris Paul's incredible impact on the Phoenix Suns -- and on the heels of a similar performance in Oklahoma City Thunder a season before -- teams are looking to replicate that success, sources say, by chasing veteran guards to uplift young, inexperienced rosters". 

That list of veteran guards would include Conley, as well as Kyle Lowry, and even Chris Paul himself. It means that the cost of signing any of those three will be sky-high. We reported earlier on Lowry's contract expectations, and you can expect Conley to command a similar pact. 

CP3 is in another class, salary-wise, because of his past deals, and has a $44 Million dollar player option with the Phoenix Suns that he must decide on. 

Other teams expected to make plays for one of these veteran PGs include the Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks and, naturally, the Los Angeles Lakers.

Photo Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports