Memphis Grizzlies: 3 potential Mike Conley trade packages

Boston Celtics

As I mentioned earlier, I wrote about why I didn’t think Boston would make a deal for Mike Conley (at least, not before the draft) and how the Kyrie Irving decision would keep them occupied for too long.

In the past few days, we have seen the Brooklyn Nets make a trade with the Atlanta Hawks to open up two possible max cap slots. Then on June 12, news broke that Kyrie would not be opting into his final year with Boston and would become an unrestricted free agent.

This is no surprise, as Irving would opt out regardless even to re-sign with Boston, but that was not the only news on June 12. It was also reported that Irving would be parting ways with longtime agent, Jeff Wechsler, to sign with Roc Nation Sports. Roc Nation is owned by Jay-Z, a former minority owner of the Nets. They also represent current Nets guard Caris LeVert. This was followed by reports that Kyrie was seriously considering Brooklyn as a possible team to sign with this July.

It’s not a done deal, but there are definitely more signs pointing toward Brooklyn for Kyrie than there were last week. Regardless, signing with a new agent as you enter free agency doesn’t exactly scream that a player is staying put, especially since Wechsler was the one who orchestrated Irving being traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Celtics.

With this development and Anthony Davis being traded to the Lakers, the Celtics are back in the news as a potential spot for Mike Conley. Can Danny Ainge bamboozle Memphis once again like he has so many times before?

Gordon Hayward will most likely have to be included in any deal for Conley because his large salary will allow Boston to send back the bare minimum players to make the deal work. The Celtics have three first round picks in this year’s draft at No. 14 No. 20 and No. 22, and they do not plan on keeping them all. Memphis will be chomping at the bit to get its hands on several of those picks to take some long shots on high-potential players they can develop alongside Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.

Memphis will ask for multiple first-rounders from Boston, and might even test the waters on Boston sending over the Grizzlies pick – top-six protected – that the Celtics own next year. Boston will likely shut down any talk of sending the Memphis pick back and try to complete the deal with only sending one first-rounder in this year’s draft.

This is still probably the best trade out there for Memphis. Obtaining a former All-Star wing and another first round pick this year will go a long way in accelerating the Grizzlies’ rebuild.