A Mike Conley trade deadline deal is one of the most likely moves to happen before the February 9 cutoff. The Utah Jazz started the season on fire, looking like a legit playoff team. However, two five-game losing streaks in December brought them back to earth, and the Jazz currently sits in 10th in the Western Conference. This means the Jazz are now sellers at the deadline, and a Jazz trade of veterans who aren’t in the long-term plans is likely.
Mike Conley is the most likely player to get shipped out of Salt Lake City at this point. Conley is 35 years old, so he won’t be around for the Jazz rebuild. However, he is still playing good basketball and could help a contending team. With that in mind, here are the three best 2023 NBA trade deadline destinations for the Jazz veteran.
Los Angeles Lakers
The 2022 NBA season has really been all about a Russell Westbrook trade. Leading into the season it was about the Lakers trading him, and then he played better, and it was about the Lakers not trading him, and now, as the 2023 NBA trade deadline approaches, it’s once again about if the Lakers can trade him.
With half of the NBA season left, Westbrook now has more value as a massive expiring contract. A team like the Jazz, which wants to continue with a large-scale rebuild, can afford to send a bunch of starters and role players to a team like the Lakers.
This trade would be Mike Conely, Malik Beasley, and Kelly Olynyk for Russell Wilson and a top-three protected 2027 first-round pick.
For the Jazz, this Mike Conley trade deadline deal turns two years of Conley, two years of Beasley, and three years of Olynyk ($50.4 million per year total) in Westbrook’s $47 million expiring.
This is a win-win deal for both teams, and the Lakers are running out of trade partners for Westbrook. A Jazz trade is likely the best they can do for Westbrook, and they should pull the trigger on this deal before the deadline.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Lakers aren’t the only LA team that is interested in Mike Conley. Reports from around the NBA say that the Clippers have long-coveted the Jazz star.
The Clippers (fourth in the West) are in a much better spot than the Lakers (13th in the West) heading into the trade deadline, so making a Mike Conley trade deadline deal will help for the rest of the regular season and beyond, as the Clips are almost guaranteed to make the postseason.
With John Wall’s injury, the Clippers need a point guard, and Conley is the type of veteran floor general who will fit in perfectly with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
In this Mike Conley trade, the Jazz gets Luke Kennard, Robert Covington, and an unprotected first-round pick. The reason for the pick is that Kennard and Covington both have multiple years left on their deals, so a Jazz trade will have to get something premium back in return, and that’s the pick.
Again, this team makes the Clippers better and the Jazz worse, which is what both teams are looking for. And Kennard especially has some value on the trade market as a shooter, so the Jazz may be able to flip him if they can get this trade done early enough.
Atlanta Hawks
This is a simple and straightforward Mike Conley trade deadline deal that sends the point guard to the Atlanta Hawks for John Collins.
A Jazz trade like this benefits both teams. The Hawks get a veteran who can take some of the ball-handling and defensive responsibilities off of Trae Young. The Jazz gets a 25-year-old player who has the potential to be an All-Star in the right situation.
This deal has been the subject of rumors for a while now, as Collins has been on the trade block all season. Thus far, the problem has been that Danny Ainge and the Jazz are asking for a first-round pick in addition to Collins to get the deal done.
Collins has two more years and a player option in 2025-26 on his contract, and that is longer than Ainge wants to commit to any player at the start of this rebuild. While Collins could be a good piece to play alongside whoever the Jazz get in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Jazz still wants a pick for taking a contract that large.
We’ll see in a few days if the Hawks acquiesce to this demand, which is a lot for a 35-year-old player.
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