With free agency fast approaching, the Los Angeles Lakers will be linked to many top tier free agents. The team will have about $64 million in cap space. That means they have the ability to dish out multiple big contracts.
One somewhat surprising name that has suddenly come up is Mike Conley. ESPN’s Chris Broussard is reporting that LA is among several teams interested in the Memphis Grizzlies point guard.
Conley is one of the premier free agents available this summer. With the Grizzlies’ struggles last season, there is some chance that the point guard would leave for a better situation. Of course, the Lakers do not really present that opportunity.
If Conley does indeed leave Memphis, it would likely be to join a team with a better chance of winning right now. The Lakers while boasting a talented and promising young core are not the right situation for him.
From the Lakers’ perspective, meeting with Conley may not be a move the fanbase expects, but it can be a solid one nonetheless. While LAL has a solid backcourt duo in D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson (assuming the latter does indeed re-sign) and will likely be content with the two, adding premium talent should not be scoffed at.
Yes, the Lakers should focus their efforts on adding high-level talent at the center and wing positions. But rolling out a three-man guard rotation of Conley, Russell, and Clarkson would be quite fun in and of itself.
That’s getting too far ahead of ourselves, however. Conley will likely re-sign in Memphis (although Broussard reports that Memphis may be unwilling to give him a five-year max). If he does not, he will likely seek a situation in which he can compete in the playoffs immediately, with the Mavericks seeming like the main draw at the moment.
This may be a case of Conley’s agent trying to raise his client’s value or it may be a case of the Lakers being genuinely interested in a really talented player. Either way, it’s unlikely much will come out of the interest.
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