Why Brooklyn Doesn’t Need A Conley Island

If given the chance, the Nets should pass on this point guard.

With the Memphis Grizzlies in town the other night, Mike Conley revealed how Lionel Hollins would’ve been a “big reason” to consider Brooklyn with his impending free agency. Regardless if this is true or not, the Nets did make the right decision to fire their former coach when they did.

It’s no secret the Nets arguably have the worst starting point guard situation in the league, and this could’ve been said even when Jarrett Jack was healthy. The team is desperate for a playmaker and with their grim draft pick situation through 2019, free agency figures to be their only hope out of this mess. This is precisely where Conley factors in.

Chances are Brooklyn won’t make Conley’s final rose ceremony, but even if the Nets are able to enter the conversation, they would be wise not to pursue the Grizzlies’ point guard. Conley would certainly help matters, but the truth is one player isn’t instantly elevating this franchise from the bottom of the Atlantic Division to the class of the Eastern Conference.

Could a trio of Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young, and Conley lead the Nets back into the playoff picture in the East? There’s a strong possibility they would, but what would be the realistic expectations for a team constructed with those parts? Would they be a legitimate Eastern Conference contender? No. Is a second round appearance their ceiling? Maybe, but even that would be wishful thinking.

As tempting as it is to return to relevancy in the league, the Nets must resist the urge to pursue and overpay a player who is already in the middle of his physical prime. The fact is, Conley is already 28 years old with eight plus years of NBA mileage on his body. By the time the Nets are ready to enter the championship conversation (if that ever happens) will Conley still be at the top of his game?

In my eyes, if you are going to pay the maximum for a player, that player needs to be truly great. Sorry, but “very good” doesn’t equate to superstar. When you really analyze Conley’s offensive game, ask yourself what does he do exceptionally well? Is he a lethal outside shooter? Hardly. Is he the type of distributor that will stir up memories of Jason Kidd? Not exactly.

The truth is Conley has never been an elite shooter for his career (44%) and this season he is experiencing his worst rate at 41.2%. Look at how his mid-range game has deteriorated over the past three seasons.

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Not surprisingly he has never been a great three-point shooter for his career (37.3%) as well.

If a point guard isn’t a great shooter, then his ability to be a playmaker is imperative. What’s concerning to me is that Conley’s career high assist average is 6.5 per game. This season he is ranked 12th among starting point guards with 6.1 apg, which is in the same neighborhood as Kyle Lowry, Reggie Jackson, and Eric Bledsoe. The difference is those other guards average around 20 points per game in comparison to Conley’s 14.9.

I don’t mean to diminish what he’s accomplished throughout his career because he is one of the better point guards in the league. He’s simply not in the same class as the elite and you have to worry about how his game will age well into his thirties. What happens when he loses a step and his defensive prowess suffers?

Rather than throw money at the problem, the next Brooklyn general manager needs to get creative with trades to replenish the draft-pick cupboard and scour the globe for hidden gems, both international and domestic. Perhaps even take on some risk when a great buy-low opportunity presents itself. It’ll be a challenge and won’t happen instantly, but it’s not impossible. Ownership just has to commit to this type of rebuild and the patience it requires.

They say those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. The last thing the Brooklyn organization needs is another point guard who can’t live up to the lofty expectations that comes with a lucrative contract.

We’ve been there, done that, and certainly don’t want to relive it.