Free agency begins in less than 24 hours and the Los Angeles Lakers are expected to be interested in a number of different players. While much of the focus has reportedly been on front court players, the Lakers will be looking to add talent at every position and the best point guard option is the Memphis Grizzlies’ Mike Conley.
Conley has long been viewed as one of the league’s most underrated players at the position. While he doesn’t have the numbers of some of his contemporaries, he is steady and reliable in all facets of the game.
Even though the Lakers have two promising young guards, according to ESPN’s Chris Broussard, the Lakers are interested in the veteran point guard:
Houston, New Orleans, Brooklyn and Los Angeles Lakers also interested in Conley, sources say
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) June 30, 2016
Some may view the Lakers interest in Conley as something of a surprise considering the team is high on their two young guards in Jordan Clarkson and D’Angelo Russell, but adding Conley could be viewed as a positive.
There are questions as to whether Russell and Clarkson are true point guards, and there are no such questions regarding Conley. He would bring a steady, reliable hand to the point guard position as well as some veteran leadership. Both Russell and Clarkson have proven more than capable of playing without the ball and Conley could help both of them take a leap.
Whether or not Conley would seriously consider the Lakers is another question. As is normally the case for veterans, it would be expected that Conley would like to go to a team that is closer to championship contention, not a rebuilding situation. Nonetheless, the Lakers going after him does no harm whatsoever.
The Lakers simply need to add talent and Conley is undoubtedly a talented point guard. If the Lakers are able to land him it will give them one of the most promising guard rotations in the league.
Last season, his ninth in the NBA all with Memphis, Conley averaged 15.3 points and 6.1 assists on 42.2 percent shooting from the field and 36.3 percent shooting from three-point range.