The Memphis Grizzlies have traded franchise centerpiece Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz. The Grizzlies will receive Grayson Allen, Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, and draft picks in the trade.
Mike Conley Traded to Utah Jazz
Speculation arose that the Memphis Grizzlies would part ways with Conley near the 2019 NBA Trade Deadline. He survived the season despite the Grizzlies sending Marc Gasol to the Raptors, but many believed his time in Memphis was limited.
As first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Grizzlies finally pulled the trigger on a trade. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski fired back with the details in “Woj Bomb” fashion, shedding light on the context of the trade.
Memphis is trading franchise star Mike Conley Jr. to Utah, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 19, 2019
Memphis has traded guard Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz for Grayson Allen, Kyle Korver and Jae Crowder, the 23rd pick in Thursday's Draft and a future first-round pick, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 19, 2019
The Grizzlies are now in full rebuild mode, though they’ve taken the first few steps toward a potentially bright future. The trade all but solidifies the idea that the Grizzlies will select Ja Morant with the second overall pick in Thursday’s draft, and Jaren Jackson Jr. looks like a future franchise player. Add another first-round pick this year and another to come, and the Grizzlies have quite the glimmer of hope.
For the Jazz, the move makes perfect sense. They got rid of players they used as fillers while upgrading the point guard position alongside budding superstar Donovan Mitchell. The Jazz made the playoffs last season and have now added a third star to the duo of Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
The trade ultimately makes sense for both teams. The Grizzlies got rid of Conley and his contract while getting younger in the process, and the Jazz added what could be a critical piece of a contender to a playoff team.
The Grit and Grind era is now officially over in Memphis. Gasol is an NBA Champion with the Toronto Raptors. Conley, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, is off to Utah.
The future is bright for both teams, as two new eras are ushered in.
Main Photo Image:
