The wounded Grizzlies have no answer for the Spurs and very little chance of grabbing even a single game in their first round playoff series at the end of a star-crossed season that has worn them down and out.
But the grit and grind bunch has plans to be back at full strength for 2016-17 as general manager Chris Wallace vowed that the club will keep soon-to-be free agent point guard Mike Conley in Memphis. Wallace made his proclamation Wednesday on the Chris Vernon radio show on 92.9 FM ESPN in Memphis:
“We are undefeated in re-signing our core players, and we will remain so. We are going to re-sign Mike Conley” – Chris Wallace
— Chris Vernon (@ChrisVernonShow) April 20, 2016
The 28-year-old Conley will be the top point guard on the free agent market this summer. He’s always been underrated and under-appreciated — not a single All-Star appearance — in the Western Conference that is crowded with talent at his position. But Conley is a smart quarterback of the offense, an excellent defender and is a solid 3-point shooter at 37.3 percent on his career. He did not play the final 20 games of the season after suffering continued soreness in his Achilles tendon.
There was a report earlier in the week that said Conley was ready to bolt Memphis in free agency and the Knicks might have him at the top of their off-season wish list. However, he played a pivotal role in getting teammate Marc Gasol to re-sign with the team last summer, it’s hard to see Conley heading for the door if the Grizzlies do the right thing and make a five-year maximum offer. Listening to Wallace, it sounds like that’s exactly the plan.
