The Memphis Grizzlies are no longer a powerhouse of the Western Conference, but the team does still have a respectable 31-22 record and they are fifth in the conference. With the league transitioning and making the Grizzlies’ main style of play less effective, the team does need to eventually make adjustments. But trading Mike Conley and losing an All-Star caliber point guard is not one of those adjustments.
Conley isn’t playing as well as he used to play a couple of seasons ago, but he is still putting up respectable numbers. His 14.9 points and 6.1 assists per game are good for a starting point guard in this league. If it wasn’t for Damian Lillard, Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry, Conley would be mentioned as a potential perennial All-Star in the conference.
His defense against point guards is one of the best in the league and defending other point guards is an important task in today’s NBA. No matter how much Curry is praised for his offense, his defense against other point guards isn’t even close to Conley’s level.
Conley may be entering free agency this season, but the Grizzlies can’t afford to trade him or let him go. A very good point guard is becoming a requirement for teams that want to compete at a championship level. Mario Chalmers is a solid backup point guard, but he is nothing more than a backup point guard. The Grizzlies should trust that Conley will make the right decision in the offseason. If they can have that trust they won’t prematurely trade him before the deadline.
The only reason to trade Conley is if the Grizzlies have something else lined up that could allow them to land a star better than Conley. If John Wall or Lillard became available the Grizzlies should jump at the chance to acquire them. Otherwise, any other reasonable trade for a point guard is too crazy for the Grizzlies to even consider.