NBA Rumors: Suns Could Trade Josh Jackson, Tyler Johnson & Draft Picks For Mike Conley, Per ‘Bleacher Report’
The Memphis Grizzlies may have decided to keep Mike Conley for the rest of the 2018-19 NBA season, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they still consider him as part of their long-term future. In the 2019 NBA offseason, the Grizzlies are expected to trade Conley for assets that could help them speed up the rebuild process. One of the NBA teams who could express strong interest in trading for Conley next summer is the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns entered the 2018-19 NBA season without a starting caliber point guard on their roster which served as one of the major reasons why they finished as the worst team in the Western Conference. If they want to change the narrative in the 2019-20 NBA season, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report suggested that the Suns should consider pairing Devin Booker with “an established, high-level” point guard like Mike Conley.
“Without a proper floor general in place, no one could align what’s quietly become a compelling collection of young talent. Add an established, high-level point to the equation, and this roster might take off. Mike Conley could be Phoenix’s accelerator, provided the Grizzlies are bullish on Jackson. Conley can be a tone-setter, a leader and a two-way contributor if he, in turn, is bullish on the Suns’ future. After a couple of dismal seasons in Memphis, the 1-guard is eager to play meaningful basketball deep into the summer.”
Here we take a look back at the Grizzlies playoff runs during the Mike Conley, Marc Gasol era: Which one was most memorable to you? https://t.co/NYvrKqSQn7
— Beale Street Bears (@BealeStBearsFS) May 2, 2019
In the proposed trade deal by Bleacher Report, the Suns will be sending Tyler Johnson, Josh Jackson, and the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2020 first-round pick to the Grizzlies in exchange for Mike Conley. If the trade becomes a reality, it will help both teams in filling up the needs to improve on their roster.
Mike Conley may already be in his early 30s, but he still hasn’t shown any sign of slowing down. In 70 games he played this season, Conley averaged 21.1 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.3 steals on 43.8 percent shooting from the field and 36.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Conley will not only give the Suns an All-Star caliber point guard but also an established superstar who can ease the load on Devin Booker’s shoulders on the offensive end of the floor.
The departure of Josh Jackson won’t hurt the Suns at all since they still have T.J. Warren and Kelly Oubre Jr. to play in the wing. Being traded to a team that prioritizes the development of their young players like the Grizzlies could help Jackson unleash his superstar potential and start living up to expectations from a No. 4 overall pick.
