"Right decision.": Mike Conley unpacks his $21,000,000 Wolves extension amid climb to West's top spot
The Minnesota Timberwolves made an underrated move right after the All-Star break. They signed veteran guard Mike Conley to a two-year, $21 million extension. The former longtime Memphis Grizzlies star will not become an unrestricted free agent in Minnesota until after the 2025-26 season.
Minnesota acquired Conley from the Utah Jazz at last year’s trade deadline, along with Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The Timberwolves entered the playoffs behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards but got a big boost from Rudy Gobert and Conley.
They were booted out by the eventual champion Denver Nuggets in the first round, but Nikola Jokic admitted that the Timberwolves were their toughest postseason opponents.
Following the news, Mike Conley had this to say about his newly signed contract:
“I’m signed to a two-year extension with the Timberwolves. I was gonna be an unrestricted free agent after this season. This was the obvious choice, the best fit.
"We have a young core of guys. I’m loving it and we’re rolling with it as we go, so why not try to see if we can get something accomplished in the next couple of years? I feel like we made the right decision.”
The Gobert trade was the riskiest move for the Timberwolves, one that is really starting to pay off now. With “KAT” and the Frenchman healthy and Edwards continuing his surge, Minnesota is on top of the Western Conference with a 39-16 record. They are trying to hold off the OKC Thunder (38-17), LA Clippers (37-19) and the Denver Nuggets (37-19) for the top seed in the West.
Getting Mike Conley, though, has been perhaps an overlooked part of the Timberwolves’ success. Conley has provided able and steady leadership and playmaking. His 6.1 assist-to-turnover ratio is second among starting point guards. Minnesota is averaging 14.8 turnovers per game this season, which is 26th in the NBA.
Towns and Edwards have been the biggest reasons for this. Conley helps mitigate what may be the team’s biggest weakness.
Mike Conley will continue to have a big role to play for the Timberwolves in the playoffs
Unless the Minnesota Timberwolves suffer a catastrophic breakdown, they are likely headed to the playoffs for the third straight year. This will be the first time, though, during the Karl-Anthony Towns-Anthony Edwards era that they will open the postseason with a likely home-court advantage.
As perhaps the best team in the Western Conference record-wise, expectations will be bigger for the Timberwolves this year. They will not be an under-the-radar team that fans and analysts will overlook. Minnesota will be under the microscope, particularly once the playoffs start.
Mike Conley has 10 seasons of playoff basketball under his belt, the most on the team. Rudy Gobert comes in second with seven postseasons under his resume. Conley’s experience, poise and leadership will be crucial as the Timberwolves attempt to enter the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.