The veteran guard signed with the Celtics earlier this offseason.
As the Boston Celtics re-tooled their roster this offseason, one of the free agent moves they made was signing veteran point guard Mike Conley to a one-year deal.
Now 38 years old, Conley was the No. 4 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft out of Ohio State. Over his 19-year career, he's played with the Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz and Timberwolves. A reliable and durable player, he's a one-time All-Star, and he was also a member of the 2012-13 All-Defensive team.
A career 13.6 ppg scorer, he only averaged 1.7 ppg for Minnesota last season. He also only played 18.4 minutes per game.
Nearly two decades ago, he took Ohio State to the national championship game after averaging 11.3 ppg and a Big 10-best 6.1 assists and 2.2 steals.
But that was a long time ago.
So what exactly can Conley bring to the Celtics this season?
1) First off, he can be a reliable secondary ballhandler. Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard figure to have the ball in their hands the most, but should someone be hurt, need load management, or need a breather, then Conley can step in. The Celtics, who still profile as a playoff team in the Eastern Conference, don't need Conley to play 30 minutes a night. If they can get 15 solid ones here and there, you'd have to think that will be enough for head coach Joe Mazzulla.
Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley (10) drives against Houston Rockets forward Danuel House Jr. (4) during the fourth quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports2) Conley also spoke openly at his introductory press conference on Tuesday about how he thinks he can be a veteran mentor on this team to those who want it. He specifically spoke about his work Pritchard this offseason and talked with excitement about helping him grow.
While not every player is built to be a "veteran mentor," it seems to be something that Conley is embracing.
Why did Conley sign with Boston?
Reports indicated that Conley was excited by the idea of playing with a legacy franchise. He confirmed as such on Tuesday. He wanted the opportunity to play with one of the best organizations in the league, and the Celtics certainly qualify as that.
He also talked about having a real "sense of urgency," to win his first title as a player.
Boston finished 56-26 last season and while they don't quite profile to be as good this season, they are certainly in the mix for the playoffs. And once you get there, you have an opportunity to potentially win the title.
