Reports: Grizzlies trade Mike Conley Jr. to Jazz for package of forwards, draft picks

Cassandra Negley
·WNBA and women's college basketball reporter
Updated ·3 min read
MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 23: Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at FedExForum on March 23, 2019 in Memphis, Tennessee. Minnesota won 112-99. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
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The Memphis Grizzlies are trading Mike Conley Jr. to the Utah Jazz for a package of forwards and draft picks, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the deal consists of Grayson Allen, Kyle Korver and Jae Crowder along with the 23rd pick of Thursday’s NBA draft and a future first-rounder.

The deal is expected to be completed July 6.

Jazz acquire Conley to bolster postseason run

Talks reportedly “intensified” this week, per Charania, between the teams as the Jazz look to take a deeper run in the postseason next year. They were in talks prior to the deadline, but the Jazz couldn’t reach a deal to acquire the star point guard.

Conley confirmed the news in a tweet and thanked Memphis for his time there.

Conley, who spent all 12 of his NBA seasons with the Grizzlies, has franchise records for games played, points scored, assists, steals, field goals made and 3-pointers made. He averaged a career-high 21.1 points per game with 6.4 assists. The point guard joins 2017-18 all-rookie selection Donovan Mitchell (23.8 ppg) and 2017-18 Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert (15.9 ppg).

The Jazz lost in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs to the Houston Rockets in five games. With questions surrounding the Golden State Warriors’ hold on the conference — and new queries into what exactly the problem is in Houston — the Jazz are taking their shot at the title.

Grizzlies rebuilding with Conley trade

The Grizzlies missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year at 33-49. The team has the 27th rated offense in the league, per Basketball Reference, and scored a league-worst 103.5 points per contest.

They have the No. 2 pick in the draft Thursday night and are likely to pick Murray State sensation Ja Morant. They’ll also now have the 23 pick, where USC’s Kevin Porter Jr. was slated to go to the Jazz in the latest Yahoo Sports mock draft.

Crowder, 28, averaged 11.9 points per game for the Grizzlies in ’18-19. The 38-year-old Korver averaged 9.1 points per game in his one season with Utah.

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