MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Mike Conley reunited with the Minnesota Timberwolves this week as if he hadn’t ever left. That’s about right, because he was barely gone.
The 38-year-old point guard was back at Target Center with the Timberwolves on Friday when they hosted the Dallas Mavericks, their first game after the All-Star break. Conley was off the roster for a mere two weeks, having been traded to the Chicago Bulls on Feb. 3, sent to the Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 4, and waived on Feb. 5.
He re-signed on Tuesday with the Timberwolves, whose maneuvering made it possible to cut about $20 million off their luxury tax bill, move below the first apron to gain the flexibility to acquire Ayo Dosunmu, and bring back the revered Conley on a prorated minimum contract. Though he briefly left the official text message thread with practice times and other logistics, Conley stayed in the players-only group chat.
“The two weeks off, that was great. The first two days off, it wasn’t so great. It was a lot of — I call it — stress, but it’s a little crazy,” Conley said after practice on Thursday. “But after that, once I heard that I’d be bought out and be a free agent, I was like, ‘Man, I won’t have to come to work. Like, I don’t have to do a dang thing. Stay-at-home-dad for a few days, got out to go on All-Star break a little early, got to enjoy some time with the family.”
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch joked that Conley’s absence left the team lost, because the 19th-year veteran usually leads the breakout from post-practice or in-game huddles with the, “One, two, three, Wolves!” chant.
“We had a few of those quiet moments,” Finch said, before transitioning his quip to praise. “Honestly, he’s meant so much to us. We don’t have the success that we’ve had without him. It’s great to have him back for all the reasons — the leadership and the maturity and the experience that he brings. So fortunate.”
For the first time in his career, Conley had found himself in a reserve role before the trade, his on-court value diminishing even if the overall benefit of his presence has continued to be appreciated throughout the organization. Averaging just 18.4 minutes per game this season, Conley fully realizes his playing time down the stretch will be even less with the arrival of Dosunmu and the emergence of Bones Hyland. Jaylen Clark and a now-healthy Terrence Shannon are in the mix for backup guard minutes.
“All these guys have earned their time and minutes on the court to get their opportunities and do what they do. I’m going to be ready and be prepared for whatever role that is, whether it’s in the rotation or spotty, whatever it is. I’m just thankful to be back around these guys,” Conley said.
As the Timberwolves reached the Western Conference finals in each of the last two years, players mentioned how badly they wanted to win for Conley, a four-time winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award and a two-time teammate of the year honoree by the league. He’s glad to get one more run at a title with this group, no matter his level of contribution over the next few months. The fact they’re 149-92 in the regular season with him on the roster with four playoff series victories can’t be discounted.
“It’d have been really unfulfilling not to be able to be a part of whatever happens, whether we win, lose or not,” he said, adding: “This would be really awkward for me to go somewhere else, and have to leave that behind, you know? I kind of go all in wherever I’m at.”
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