NBA Rumors: Should The Philadelphia 76ers Trade For Mike Conley?
As they continue to struggle in the 2018-19 NBA season, rumors and speculations started to swirl that the Memphis Grizzlies are planning to make a huge roster shakeup before the February NBA trade deadline. After realizing that they don’t have the capability to contend for the NBA championship title, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that the Grizzlies have started listening to trade offers for Marc Gasol and Mike Conley
According to Kristian Winfield of SB Nation, one of the NBA teams who may consider engaging in a trade negotiation with the Grizzlies involving Mike Conley is the Philadelphia 76ers.
“Ben Simmons has been the primary ball-handler, but his unwillingness to shoot from the perimeter will give an edge to defenses when guarding him in the postseason. Bringing Conley in would establish order in Philly. He’s a player who is capable of creating his own shot but doesn’t look to do so until it’s absolutely necessary. He’s the definition of a floor general, and can still play off Simmons as well. He’s exactly what the doctor ordered in Philly.”
The arrival of Jimmy Butler has undeniably improved the Sixers’ performance on both ends of the floor, but they should still consider upgrading their roster in order to have a better chance of contending for the NBA championship title this season. Trading for Mike Conley will ease the load on Ben Simmons’ shoulders in terms of playmaking.
Examining the pros and cons of a Detroit Pistons trade for Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley.https://t.co/vIgIjRXosr
— Freep Sports (@freepsports) January 26, 2019
Conley will also be giving the Sixers a very reliable scoring option who can help them improve their floor spacing. This season, the 31-year-old point guard is averaging 20.0 points, 6.2 assists, and 1.4 steals on 42.9 percent shooting from the field and 35.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc. In any deal involving their superstars, ESPN‘s Wojnarowski revealed that the Grizzlies are looking for some combination of young talent, draft picks, and salary-cap relief.
SB Nation‘s Winfield cited a proposed trade deal by The Daily Memphian‘s Chris Herrington where the Sixers will be sending a trade package including Markelle Fultz, Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala, and future draft assets to the Grizzlies in exchange for Mike Conley and Omri Casspi. The deal works on ESPN‘s NBA Trade Machine.
The suggested trade will not only be beneficial for the Sixers but also for the Grizzlies since it will give them assets that could help them speed up the rebuilding process. Markelle Fultz may have failed to live up to expectations from a No. 1 overall pick in the City of Brotherly Love, but the Grizzlies could make him and Jaren Jackson Jr. as the centerpieces of the title-contending team they are planning to build.
