# With surprising deal done, time for Conley to show and prove



## Basel

> Mike Conley isn't apologizing for the $40-plus million extension offered before Monday's deadline by the Memphis Grizzlies. There's no need, considering the alternative would have been to say no.
> 
> Conley's job isn't to worry about the others in the same 2007 draft class that went without the years being added to their rookie contacts. He doesn't have to justify his talents or worth against fellow extension recipients Kevin Durant, Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Jared Dudley.
> 
> The 23-year-old point guard also shouldn't be concerned about what this means in the bigger picture. Yes, those nebulous collective bargaining talks hanging out just a step off the side of the court throughout the season. Let the owners and union argue over the significance of deals such as Conley's.
> 
> If anything, the Players Association ought to be thanking him. Cries of poverty from the league's owners sound awfully wolfish when sizing up the five-year pledge from one of the league's supposed struggling teams. If a small-market, low-income franchise such as Memphis can afford $120 million in extensions for Rudy Gay and Conley, is there really a problem?
> 
> But that's another issue. And while many are calling the Conley deal crazy, those inside the Grizzlies locker room are calling it commitment. Marc Gasol said that management is dedicated to keeping the team's young talent intact, even though he curiously didn't receive an extension by the deadline.
> 
> "We never doubted that," the fourth year center said. "They always told us that was going to happen. The intention was to keep the core together. We're going to have that."


http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/art_garcia/11/02/conley-signs/index.html


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## Luke

I don't like Conely. He doesn't make the players around him better and there isn't really a worse trait to have in a point guard than that. I do like Mayo/Gay/Gasol though. They have a chance to sneak in the playoffs as a low seed if everyone stays healthy.


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## Basel

Yesterday, one of the Grizzlies' color analysts was interviewed on ESPN Radio and he said that Conley would prove this season that he's one of the best PG's in the league and that he's putting up $45 million numbers.

:wtf:


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## Luke

Basel said:


> Yesterday, one of the Grizzlies' color analysts was interviewed on ESPN Radio and he said that Conley would prove this season that he's one of the best PG's in the league and that he's putting up $45 million numbers.
> 
> :wtf:


Haha, probably why he works for the Grizzlies.


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## Dornado

I like Conley, and I hope he lives up to this deal.


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## Bogg

I have a feeling that this deal means Zach Randolph won't be around for a new contract next year. I can't imagine they intend to pay Gay, Conley, Gasol, Randolph, and Mayo(up for an extension next year) while filling out a bench all at the same time. The going-to-be-30 year old forward with a case of the crazies is the logical odd man out when stacked up against Gasol and Mayo. Look for the Grizz to chase a lower-cost alternative at the 4 next summer, possibly Glen Davis if he keeps up his current level of play all season.


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## GNG

Basel said:


> Yesterday, one of the Grizzlies' color analysts was interviewed on ESPN Radio and he said that Conley would prove this season that he's one of the best PG's in the league and that he's putting up $45 million numbers.
> 
> :wtf:


Currently, this season, Conley IS putting up numbers that would justify his contract (which kicks in next year, btw - he's still on his rookie deal this year). He's averaging 16 points, six rebounds, nine assists and three steals. He's second in the NBA in steals and sixth in assists. His assist-to-turnover ratio is 3.54 (fifth in the league for players with 30+ assists).

Obviously, he'll need to maintain those averages, and while it's unreasonable to expect someone to average 3.4 steals for a season, I don't think his averages (or more importantly, his efficiency) will take a significant dive from the level they're at now.

He turned 23 years old less than a month ago.


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## Game

Who wouda tought Conley would have a better career than Oden...After riding his coat tails for so
long...Play on player spend that cash


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## GNG

LOL, @Luke and @Basel and @Bogg.


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## Luke

I'll eat full crow on this one. I love conely's game now. Definitely a top ten point guard.


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## Luke

And I defended Rudy Gay and Mayo in the process. Nice.


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## RollWithEm

Glad I didn't respond to this one. I probably would've been eating out of that same plate of crow.


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## Basel

I'm glad I was wrong. I like Conley - glad to see him playing well.


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## Dornado

Damn, I should have been more vocal on behalf of my guy. I've always liked Conleys game.


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## Bogg

GNG said:


> LOL, @Luke and @Basel and @Bogg.


What? I was right that they couldn't pay all five of their starters at the time, and if Colangelo hadn't taken Gay off their hands Randolph may have been the one that was eventually traded. It's not like he hasn't been brought up in trade rumors since.


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