Morant’s emergence makes Conley’s return much easier
When Mike Conley took a microphone to center court before the Grizzlies’ 2018-19 season finale and told fans, “I look forward to seeing you guys next year,” no one knew quite how to take it.
They would see him, sure. But what jersey would he be wearing?
At that moment, Chris Wallace was the Grizzlies’ general manager, J.B. Bickerstaff was head coach, 12 players who are now gone were on the roster and the lottery odds suggested the team would likely not have a top selection in the draft.
The Grizzlies had already traded Marc Gasol, Conley’s longtime running mate. What would a future in Memphis look like without Conley, who was coming off a prolific season?
“It’s never easy at the time that you’re even contemplating trading a pillar of
the franchise like Conley,” Grizzlies executive vice president of basketball operations Zach Kleiman said before training camp.
“Difficult decision and difficult to turn the page there.”
But one bounce of the draft lottery balls is making the transition immeasurably easier as the Grizzlies welcome Conley back to Fedexforum as a member of the Utah Jazz on Friday.
The Grizzlies landed the No. 2 pick in the draft and chose point guard Ja Morant, who is proving to be a natural replacement for Conley as he makes an early case for rookie of the year.
Conley, meanwhile, is gaining comfort on a Utah team built to compete for a title after trading for Conley this offseason.
The Jazz carry an 8-3 record into their first meeting with Memphis (4-7).
“I love that he's on Utah and got a change of scenery and can keep playing his game,” Grizzlies shooting guard Dillon Brooks said.
Brooks is the only Grizzlies player with more than one season of experience as a teammate of Conley.
“I'm ready to go out there and kill him,” Brooks said. “I feel like I got better over the summer, and I can't wait to play against him.”
But Brooks said it will actually be Morant who draws the assignment of guarding Conley.
“Just force him right and expect the right-hand floater,” Brooks said of the advice he'll give Morant.
Morant is fast, explosive, awe-inspiring and 20.
Conley is quick, crafty, precise and 32.
One represents the franchise's future, while the other represents a past defined by seven straight playoff appearances.
On Friday, they square off.
“Looking forward to playing the Utah Jazz,” Morant said Wednesday. “It's a team game. I'm not singling nobody out.”
To Grizzlies fans, however, Friday will be anything but another game.
There will be franchise-planned tributes to Conley and cheers each time he checks in the game. There are likely to be as many No. 11 Conley jerseys in the stands as No. 12 Morant jerseys.
Some will be conflicted. That's only natural, given everything Conley did for the franchise.
But they shouldn't be conflicted about the trade.
There was an idea that surfaced after the Grizzlies landed the No. 2 pick in the draft and set their sights on Morant that perhaps the Grizzlies should keep Conley and allow him to mentor Morant.
The early returns on this season show how fruitless that would have been for both.
It would be insulting to suggest Morant
needs a shepherding veteran starting ahead of him or with him. And Conley did not deserve to have the tail-end of his prime wasted on a rebuilding roster.
No one knew what Conley meant at center court in April when he said he looked forward to seeing everyone this season, not even Conley.
But regardless of what happens Friday, his return to Fedexforum should be a reminder that everyone came out of the ordeal just fine.
“I think he's in a situation with Utah much like Marc (Gasol) was with Toronto last year where Marc won a championship,” Kleiman said before training camp. “Mike just might have a chance to compete for one as well.”
And with a stellar young replacement on board in Memphis, the Grizzlies may one day have a chance to do the same.
Reach Grizzlies beat writer David Cobb at david.cobb@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @Davidwcobb.