NBA Free Agency: Examining The Point Guard Options
By Adam McGee
Mike Conley
There can be no questioning Mike Conley’s position at the top of the pile for this year’s free agent point guards, in fact, he’s likely to be one of the most coveted players across all positions.
Criminally underrated for years, Conley is one of the NBA’s smartest playmakers. The 28-year-old is a measured presence on the floor who rarely looks like he’s not playing the game at his desired pace.
That translates to an efficient and accurate passing and shooting game. Boasting a career assist to turnover ratio of 2.8 along with a true shooting mark of 53.7 percent and 37.5 percent from deep, Conley’s offense is impressive.
It’s his defense that makes him truly valuable though. Conley is an excellent on-ball defender with great anticipation, something that has attributed to an average of 1.5 steals per game for his career.
Conley will be paid accordingly for his talent commanding a fee that could be in excess of $25 million a year, and with that in mind any team interested in his services must think carefully. Conley has never been a lead star on a team, but with that contract and skill set it would be a waste of everyone’s time to make him a fourth or fifth option.
Next: Jordan Clarkson