Grizzlies "Growing a Bit Concerned" About Losing Mike Conley, Could He Go to the Knicks?

Mike Conley is a free agent this offseason. According to Ian Begley of ESPN, some in the Grizzlies organization “are growing a bit concerned” that he might leave, and lists the Knicks as a potential destination.

For the Knicks, Conley would be a coup. Even though the point guard is coming off a season-ending Achilles injury, he’s still expected in the top-10 in the league at the position for the foreseeable future, and would be a great distributor for Kristaps Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony (if he’s still there). He would fit a need – Mike Conley is a big upgrade over Jose Calderon.

For that same reason, Memphis should be concerned about losing him. However, as Begley notes, they have an ace card with their ability to offer a five-year deal for $124 million, whereas other teams can offer a max contract of “just” four years for $92 million. While it’s presumable Conley will still be in the league five years from now, a $32 million difference in guaranteed money is nothing to sneeze at, especially when a dollar goes so much further in Memphis than New York. CNN’s cost of living calculator pegs the latter as about 2.5 times as expensive, and, again, he’d be making less in annual salary.

If Conley were to leave, it would be in his best financial interest to be upfront with the Grizzlies about his intentions and hope they can arrange a sign-and-trade. Or, perhaps he could have the leverage to arrange for an opt-out after next year when the cap is slated to rise dramatically again.

Even with the endorsement potential in a big city, once you factor in cost of living it would be a tremendous self-sacrifice money-wise for Conley to sign a four-year max deal with the Knicks.