3:33pm: The Jazz have changed their minds on removing Conley from the starting lineup and will instead move Ingles to the bench, according to Charania and Jones (via Twitter). The move will have a similar effect on the rotation balance, with a defensive specialist who doesn’t need the ball replacing a ball-handler in the starting five.
2:01pm: The slumping Jazz are shaking up their starting five, according to Shams Charania and Tony Jones of The Athletic, who report that forward Royce O’Neale will replace point guard Mike Conley in the team’s lineup. The change will go into effect beginning on Wednesday night against Boston, per Charania and Jones.
Conley is Utah’s highest-paid player and was the team’s major acquisition in the summer of 2019. However, he has struggled to adjust to his new NBA home this season, battling injuries over the course of the year and underperforming when he’s healthy enough to play. In 34 games (27.9 MPG), Conley has averaged just 13.4 PPG, 4.1 APG, and a .394 FG%, all of which are among the worst marks of his 13-year career.
As Charania and Jones explain, the Jazz believe that the lineup change will balance their rotation a little better, allowing Joe Ingles to take on more of an offensive role with the starters while O’Neale – the team’s best perimeter defender – handles the toughest assignments on the other end of the court. Conley will come off the bench and look to provide an offensive punch alongside Jordan Clarkson.
It has been an up-and-down season in Utah not just for Conley but for the Jazz as a whole. After a modest 13-11 start, the club won 19 of 21 of its next games. Since pushing their record to 32-13 though, the Jazz have endured a pair of losing streaks, winning just four of their last 12 contests. The roller-coaster season has left the team searching for an identity, Tim MacMahon of ESPN wrote today.
Despite their recent struggles, the Jazz are still fifth in the Western Conference, just one game back of the Rockets for home-court advantage in the first round. Utah will hope that its latest lineup change has a positive impact on its push for a top-four seed.
I think it’s the right move. Mike will run and strengthen the second unit…we shall see how this works.
But but…. people said he was going to take the Jazz to the next level because he works hard.
They were 32-13. He DID take them to the next level.
He has only played 34 games all year and was injured during most of that 32-13 run.
You don’t have to play to provide leadership.
You seriously think that matters? Their ceiling is the exact same as its been. Quick 2nd round exit at best.
Are you talking to me AMK? I was replying to Hiflew explaining that Conley hadn’t taken them to the next level. . Half the time people on this board are incredibly confused.
Thats for hiflew. Its hard to tell the replies on the app.
agh…my bad. A comment upgrade would be nice.
So if you know what is going to happen, then why are you wasting your time watching basketball. Go use your ability to see into the future to help mankind in some way.
I know what is going to happen because its basketball. The best teams win and the Jazz are not that. Your the one who said they went to the next level because they had a good record at one point lol really dude?
Conley hasn’t taken them anywhere… well, except the beach, I mean Utah with him are at 19-15, when he doesn’t play they are 17-6, for sure they seem better without him, right?
To beat Rockets they need hm court. And a healthy Conley. Hasn’t been a gd yr. He can change all that. By showing up in playoffs.
Utah won’t face the Rockets in the first round, and they won’t have home court against anyone. The Jazz will likely play either Denver or the Clippers in the first round and will probably be one and done just like last year.
Utah felt stuck so they made changes: 1) quicker PG (Conley not Rubio), 2) smaller frontline (Bojans not Favors), 3) a funneling defense with reduced challenging on the perimeter.
The result so far is a gain of 2 prorated wins. However Phoenix has gained 15 prorated wins and NOLA has gained 2 during a rebuild.
Bojans is doing fine but I & others are so far wrong about Conley. Unfortunately, after the starting five, the next 3 Jazz in minutes played are all PGs!– Conley, Jordan Clarkson, and Mudiaye (who is liable to be phased out). Bigs Niang, Bradley & Ed Davis are next. Utah is starting all their midsize guys with Gobert!
Let’s talk basketball! Basketball is all about systems, and how players fit within the system based on skill set. Chris Paul left Houston, and turned a team with nothing into a playoff contender in Oklahoma City. Mike Conely is a beast, unfortunately he has been injured, but honestly, he will never fit into Utah’s system at all. Many people have left Utah, and have had nice career’s. I bet you, if Mike Conley leave’s Utah, he will go to a team were he fit’s being the #1 ball handler, and distributor, and not splitting that job with Donovan Mitchell. They’ve also added Jordan Clarkson to the mix, which was senseless because they should have never brought in Conley. Conely is a real point guard that needs a real shooting guard, and small forward that slashes. Utah is a go with the flow type of team. If someone is off, the entire team is off. Did they forget what Ingles has done in the past? Why bring in Bogdanovic?
Okay, so, another change. The explanation will likely be that the FO stepped in to protect their big offseason investment, Conley, but it could also be to balance their bench. Ingles has a better on/off.
When the Jazz let Rubio go in order to get Conley I knew they were going to be worse this year. Rubio is a better PG than Conley, and Conley’s contract is the worst in the entire league. Huge mistake.