The Minnesota Timberwolves have made another roster move on Friday morning. With the NBA trade deadline in the rearview, the Timberwolves are forming a quick reunion with the veteran guard, Mike Conley.
The move allows the veteran star Anthony Edwards to get his wish, after he sent a message to Conley through the media following a game, after he was traded away.
"Mike's my guy," Edwards told reporters on Wednesday night. "He's like an OG to me. Always helped me when I was struggling on the court. Great conversation off the court, just a great dude overall. So hopefully we can get him back. I don’t really know how it go, but I keep hearing he can come back, so hopefully he will. And I hope you see this. We want you back, Mike. You know we miss him."
Conley hasn't officially signed yet, but ESPN's Shams Charania reports that the veteran is panning for a return, and timing of the actual re-signing will be thought out. That could leave the veteran guard as a free agent a little while longer.
It was an eventful deadline for Conley and the Timberwolves. On February 3, the Timberwolves finalized a deal with the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls. Conley was sent to the latter team, alongside the Detroit veteran Jaden Ivey. It was clear that Conley wouldn't actually report to the Bulls. He was viewed as a potential cut or trade candidate again.
Sure enough, one day later, Conley was included in a swap between the Bulls and the Charlotte Hornets. Alongside Coby White and a load of second-round picks, Conley was sent to a red-hot Hornets team. Once again, his actual presence in Charlotte wasn't expected. Conley was widely viewed as a cut candidate.
Returning to the Timberwolves makes the most sense for the 38-year-old Conley. It's unclear how much longer he intends to play in the NBA, but picking up in a new situation halfway through what could potentially be his final year could be a difficult situation. Typically, Conley would have to choose a different destination after getting traded, but the double-move made it legal for him to go back to Minnesota to finish out the 2025-2026 NBA season.
Conley has 19 years of NBA experience under his belt. Most of his career was spent with the Memphis Grizzlies. He played 12 seasons in Tennessee. After that, Conley spent four years with the Utah Jazz before landing with the Timberwolves during the 2022-203 season. Over four years, Conley has played in 215 regular-season games with the Wolves. He averaged 9.2 points, while dishing out 4.7 assists, and shooting 41 percent from three.
The Timberwolves will take on the New Orleans Pelicans for their post-deadline matchup on Friday night. Conley is unlikely to be with the team, as his contract has not been finalized.
Newsweek