Insider Floats New Name as 'Most Likely' Jazz Player to be Traded in 2022
Amid all the speculation surrounding Utah Jazz stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, one player has perhaps gotten lost in the shuffle. At least, as it pertains to the Jazz trading a key player this offseason.
Mike Conley.
Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer recently guested on the Zone Sports Network and in discussing why the Jazz could run it back one more year with the Mitchell/Gobert ticket (all about next year's All-Star game), Conley's name came up as the "most likely" player to be dealt.
“We definitely talked a lot about Mike Conley trade destinations,” Fischer said, “and I feel like he’s the piece that’s probably the most likely to go out the door based on conversations I’ve had.”
Jazz owner Ryan Smith, per Fischer, is focused on maximizing the NBA All-Star game coming to Salt Lake City in 2023. Smith wants to ensure the Jazz have plenty of representation in the All-Star game and dealing away one of (or both) Mitchell or Gobert would put a potential kink in that objective.
Conley is a former All-Star, too (2021), and isn't exactly chopped liver. But if the Jazz could find a suitable trade partner, Conley could yield a decent return on the market.
Conley started 72 games for the Jazz this past season, averaging 13.7 points and 5.3 assists per contest. He re-signed with the Jazz last summer on a three-year deal worth $72.5 million.
At 34 years old, Conley is getting a bit long in the tooth and the Jazz reportedly want to increase Jared Butler's role in 2022 and beyond. If Jazz GM Justin Zanik can find the right suitor, trading Conley away could end up as a win-win in the final analysis, especially if Butler turns a corner and develops into the point guard Utah hopes he can be.
In his article published Wednesday, Fischer also floated Bojan Bogdanovic and Royce O'Neale as potential trade assets for the Jazz as well, swinging the pendulum away from Mitchell and/or Gobert.
“League personnel speak far more certainly of the Jazz looking to explore moving complementary pieces such as wings Bojan Bogdanovic and Royce O’Neale,” Fischer wrote Wednesday. “That could introduce All-Star point guard Mike Conley into an interesting point guard market that seems to be developing this summer.”
Take note.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.
