Chicago Bulls: Ranking potential point guard options

Mike Conley

When the Memphis Grizzlies landed the second pick in this week’s NBA Draft, it effectively signaled the end of Mike Conley’s run in Memphis. With the Grizzlies expected to draft Murray State point guard Ja Morant, Conley is now available.

With the Bulls needing a point guard, it’s easy to connect dots here. Conley is a bona fide pass-first point guard, veteran leader and is effective from long range. He averaged 21.1 points and 6.1 assists per game last year on a Memphis team clearly in a slow trek towards a total rebuild.

The question, as it is with Chris Paul, is whether the Bulls would be willing to trade assets for a high-mileage point guard to match with a young squad. In addition, Conley wouldn’t come cheap either. He’s due to make $32.5 million next season and $34.5 million in 2020-21.

Those are steep numbers for a team coming off a 22-win season and still finding its footing. Conley’s future is likely tied more to a team much closer to competing for conference supremacy, not the bottom of the playoff race.