Veteran point guard Mike Conley intends to re-sign with the Timberwolves after he clears waivers, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
Conley was traded twice this week. Minnesota originally sent him to Chicago in a salary-dump deal on Tuesday, then the Bulls flipped him to Charlotte along with Coby White. The Hornets subsequently cut him.
NBA rules prohibit a player who is traded and then waived to immediately re-sign with the team that traded him away. However, that restriction doesn’t apply to the Timberwolves because Conley was traded twice. Once he clears waivers and becomes a free agent, he’d be ineligible to re-sign with the Bulls, the last team that traded him away, but nothing would be standing in the way of a reunion with Minnesota.
Conley, who is in his 19th NBA season, became the Wolves’ starting point guard when they acquired him at the 2023 trade deadline and maintained that role through last season. However, he ceded his starting role to Donte DiVincenzo this fall and has averaged a career-low 18.5 minutes per night in 44 outings (nine starts) so far this season. His 4.4 points and 2.9 assists per game are also career lows, as is his 32.2% field goal percentage.
Despite Conley’s declining production, there were rumblings ahead of the trade deadline that the team wasn’t eager to move the 38-year-old due to his locker room leadership. With that in mind, getting the opportunity to move off of the guard’s $10.8MM expiring contract and then bring him back on a prorated minimum-salary deal represents the best of both worlds for the Wolves.
Minnesota has two open spots on its 15-man roster following its deadline moves, so no corresponding move will be necessary to create room for Conley.
According to Charania, the two sides are working on the timing of the deal. Conley will clear waivers on Saturday afternoon, but the Wolves may not re-sign him immediately since doing so would increase their projected luxury tax penalty and move them closer to the first tax apron.
That is quite the loophole that I’m sure wont be explored for exploitation in the future.
Considering it requires a player to be traded twice in two separate transactions idk how you think it can be easily exploited
Um, you ask the team he is traded to first what their plans are? A player is his age group and production with a $10M+ salary is an easy guess as to what his eventual outcome would be.
The salary dumping age that comes along with the tax aprons is just todays version of cutting players.
Ok, and what happens when an unexpected team offers a 2nd for him or wants him in a bigger trade? The first trade is the easy part teams have no control in the second trade.
“Honey, I’m home!”
great news
Not good news for the Wolves, now Finch will play him 15 minutes a night cause hes his blankie.
I thought he was going to the warriors?
Awesome…….He still has some gas in the tank!! A true pro whose career is very much coming to a close, but can still contribute to help this team get deep into playoffs. 8-12 minutes a night he can lead this team!
That was quick. Great for Minny. More depth …
Better be ready for TWolves in playoffs.
Lmao
With Ayo now, hoping this is a player-coach/team chemistry move. He’s cooked. Wonderful guy, great career. Please no rotation minutes Finchy!