Mike Conley After Jazz Loss to Mavs: ‘It Means A Lot to Be From Dallas’

The Dallas Mavericks could use some backup point guard help, and Utah Jazz veteran Mike Conley fits the bill. Would his trade price be too steep, though?

As the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night at American Airlines Center, we couldn’t help but think about how nice of a fit Mike Conley would be as Dallas’ backup point guard.

After losing Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks, the Mavs missed out on adding capable third ballhandlers — most notably, Goran Dragic and Dennis Smith Jr., who are having productive seasons for the Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets respectively. However, could Dallas make up for it by eventually swinging a trade for Conley? That might depend on Jazz GM Danny Ainge’s asking price.

The 35-year-old veteran is averaging 11.5 points and 7.1 assists for Utah through eight games while shooting 41.3 percent from deep. However, Conley could wear down by season’s end if he keeps up his current pace, and he also has at least $14 million in salary guaranteed for the 2023-24 season (it will go up to around $24 million guaranteed after the 2023 NBA Draft).

Given the combination of his age, injury history and contract, one would think Conley’s trade value wouldn’t involve any first-round picks, but his is Ainge we’re talking about here. If the Jazz sense the Mavs have a need for Conley, they’d likely ask for a first-round pick, in which case Dallas would likely walk away from the negotiating table.

But … if the surprisingly-competitive Jazz start slipping as the season progresses, perhaps Conley could apply some pressure in order to join a contender for the final years of his career. The Mavs are still working to solidify their standing as a true contender, but improving their depth with Conley would be a step in the right direction.

“(Dallas is) somewhere I grew up a lot, coming to these games and seeing that championship team that they had years and years back,” said Conley after Wednesday’s game at AAC. “It’s special having my family and friends come out and support me. It means a lot to be from Dallas and coming back here and playing.”

It’d probably mean even more to him if he was playing in Dallas full-time while sharing ballhandling duties with Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie. 

Would Utah consider a straight-up trade of Conley for Tim Hardaway Jr. — whose contract extends through the 2024-25 season, but is also manageable due to its descending salary? Our guess on that is “probably not,” but that’s probably the kind of buy-low deal the Mavs are interested in.

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