Marc Stein reported on Substack that the Clippers have interest in Jazz point guard Mike Conley, who thought he would be traded to the Clippers before the season. The Jazz are hanging around in the playoff race, but they’re first-round fodder better off moving their remaining veterans so that they can fall out of the play-in and into the lottery, where they intended to be in the first place. No matter what other moves they make, it’s likely that Conley, who’s 35, will be moved to a team that’ll give him a better chance of winning his first title.
Conley is a good fit offensively for the Clippers because he’s a steady playmaker who can thrive off the ball as a shooter and cutter. And though he has declined on defense, he’s had some lockdown moments this season when he’s resembled his prime self.
In the closing moments of a tight win against the Pelicans last month, Conley poked away two inbound passes intended for CJ McCollum before snaking through three screens to halt McCollum’s scoring attempt. There were levels of speed and awareness on display that the Clippers haven’t seen from Wall or Jackson.
But other teams will pursue Conley too, meaning that the Jazz will likely hold out for the best possible offer until closer to the deadline. So L.A. must scour the rest of the league. League sources say the Clippers are also interested in Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet.