Mike Conley's Importance To The Minnesota Timberwolves

Sport is always a young man's game, but veterans are necessary. Conley is one of the best examples of a respected veteran because he has always been a consistent floor general for his teams.

He is not in his athletic prime anymore at 37, but he has remained productive under head coach Chris Finch. Conley is in a backcourt with athletic dynamo Anthony Edwards, but he can keep up with his playmaking and clever defense.

Conley Is A Beloved Teammate In Minnesota

Almost every teammate has unanimously praised Conley throughout his career. He is a vocal leader, but he is mild-mannered, as evidenced by not having a single technical foul in his 17-year career.

In the 2024-25 season, Conley has become more of an off-ball player for Edwards to take more of an on-ball role. This has led to Conley shooting the lights out from long range, making 41.7% of his attempts from three.

His minutes and playmaking have taken a dip, but coach Finch is getting the most out of him. This is first season not scoring over 10 points per game since his rookie year, but he is not an issue for the Timberwolves because he is doing his job well. 

Teammate Donte DiVincenzo had nothing but praise for his veteran teammate in a recent interview. 

"Mike's probably one of the best people to be around. Is he Memphis Mike anymore? Probably not. But he's good, and he is a great person," Donte said on The Young Man and the Three. "So it’s like when you’re getting both, and you don’t have to deal with anything outside, there’s no nonsense or nothing, and you love being around them."

The Timberwolves Need Conley To Be The Leader

While the Timberwolves are not the youngest team, they do have some young players who are legitimate contributors. 

Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are all relatively fresh, so an experienced player like Conley leading the way is important for the team.

DiVincenzo noted that Mike settles the team down when he is on the floor. That calming presence is crucial to a team, especially when the Playoffs are coming up.  Conley already knows he has work to do, especially after a rough start to the 24-25 season. 

Do not expect Conley to be the big-time star who plays 40+ minutes a game like he did in Memphis anymore. However, he will put in a solid performance every time to help the Timberwolves succeed in their hunt for a Playoff spot in the loaded Western Conference.