A wild trade carousel brings Conley back to Minnesota.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have officially signed veteran point guard Mike Conley to a deal for the rest of the season, per Mike Scotto of HoopsHype.
The signing reunites Conley with the team he's called home since the 2022-23 season and comes after a wild ride through two trades and a waiver claim over the past two weeks.
Conley's path back to Minnesota was anything but simple, as the Timberwolves originally traded him to the Chicago Bulls on February 3 as part of a three-team deal that also included the Detroit Pistons.
How Conley Got Back to Minnesota
The Bulls then flipped Conley, along with Coby White, to the Charlotte Hornets just one day later, and the Hornets quickly waived the 38-year-old guard shortly after that.
Under NBA rules, a player who is traded and then waived can't immediately return to the team that traded him, but because Conley was dealt twice in two separate deals, the restriction only applied to the Bulls and not the Timberwolves, which opened the door for his return.
The whole move was about money from the start, as Minnesota traded Conley's $10.7 million salary to get under the first luxury tax apron and give themselves the flexibility to pull off the deal for Ayo Dosunmu from Chicago in a separate trade.
Now that the Timberwolves waited the full 14 days before signing him back, Conley will return on a prorated veteran's minimum deal that saves Minnesota even more money heading into the second half of the season.
What Conley Brings Back to the Wolves
Before being traded, Conley was averaging 4.4 points, 2.9 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in 44 games this season while shooting from the floor in just over 18 minutes per game.
Those numbers aren't flashy by any means, but Conley's value to this team goes well beyond the stat sheet and his veteran presence and leadership in the locker room have been something the Timberwolves have missed during his absence.
His playing time could take a hit now that Dosunmu is in the fold, but having another experienced guard who knows this team inside and out only helps as Minnesota gears up for a playoff push.
Where Minnesota Stands Now
The Timberwolves head into the second half of the season with a 34-22 record, which is good for fifth in the Western Conference entering the All-Star break.
Anthony Edwards continues to lead the way with 29.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game in what has been a career-best season for the 24-year-old star, who just took home All-Star Game MVP honors over the weekend.
Julius Randle has been a strong running mate alongside Edwards, averaging 22.3 points, seven rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game and going into the break on a hot streak that included a 41-point performance against Portland.
Getting Conley back gives the Wolves another steady hand in the backcourt as they look to climb the Western Conference standings and make another deep postseason run, and with 26 games left on the schedule, every bit of depth and experience matters.