Mike Conley’s time in Utah is over and he is ready for the next chapter in his NBA career.
Ever the consummate pro, Conley didn’t have much to say following the news that he had been traded from the Utah Jazz to the Minnesota Timberwolves, but what he did say was meaningful.
In a social media post on both Twitter and Instagram, Conley expressed how difficult it is to leave a team, especially this Utah Jazz team.
He also expressed admiration and appreciation for the community in Utah — how quickly he and his family felt accepted — and included a photo of him with his now former Jazz teammates, along with a photo of him with his family.
Prior to the trade deadline, Conley expressed a hope that if traded at the NBA trade deadline, he would end up in a winning situation.
At the same time, he understood the nature of the business.
“I don’t want to be somewhere where there’s just no chance,” Conley told the Deseret News’ Sarah Todd. “But you never know what’s going to happen or how things will end up working out.”
Conley joins a Minnesota team that includes former Jazz star Rudy Gobert, plus All-Star caliber players in Anthony Edwards and Karl Anthony Towns.
The Timberwolves have struggled to adjust to life with Gobert this season, and currently are No. 8 in the Western Conference with a 30-28 record.
The Wolves have won six of their last 10 games, though, and were trending upward prior to the acquisition of Conley.
A 15-year NBA vet, Conley will fill a void at point guard for Minnesota, after the T-Wolves traded D’Angelo Russell to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the deal that sent Conley to Minnesota.
Now former Jazz players Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt and Nickeil Alexander-Walker were also a part of the trade — Beasley and Vanderbilt ended up in LA, Alexander-Walker in Minnesota — and both Beasley and Vanderbilt expressed brief but positive feelings for Utah in Instagram posts, with Vanderbilt writing, “Thank you, Utah.”