But that was Conley’s way of showing the Grizzlies that he’s all-in with them.
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Overall, Parsons interest isn’t surprising, but with the red flags, the likelihood of him coming home to Orlando should be slim.
Conley was a key cog in the Grit n’ Grind Grizzlies squads that were a mainstay in the Western Conference playoff race throughout the early 2010s. ESPN.com first reported that Conley will hear the Dallas Mavericks’ pitch Friday afternoon.
The Dallas Mavericks were also interested in Conley, among other teams, but they could only offer a max contract worth approximately $114 million over four years. Last night, the Grizzlies offered him a 5-year, $153 million dollar deal that he accepted, making his contract the richest National Basketball Association contract in league history.
There are also rumors out there that Howard may only be getting deals hovering around $15 million annually.
Now the Grizzlies can turn their focus exclusively to Conley, the engine that drives the grit-and-grind crew.
Conley is it an elite class of point guards.
The five-year, $45 million extension he signed with the team in 2010 was widely questioned, given his lack of production to that point.
Parsons has an advocate in Memphis in recently hired assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who formed a close relationship with Parsons during their time together with the Houston Rockets. They ended up firing head coach Dave Joerger. As these players are restricted free agents, the Blazers can match any deals they are offered (should they turn down the qualifying offers).
Conley will be 29 on October 11.
A maximum contract would start at $26.2 million for Conley in Memphis. And by keeping his nose clean and working hard and putting the Grizzlies’ franchise first, he feels he deserves it. They just won’t play to their strengths: they don’t believe they should have to.
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Chandler Parsons is reportedly set to leave the Dallas Mavericks as he chose to test the free agency market this summer. The signing will help Conley finally have a scoring wing next to him, and could really help his production if Parsons is able to stay healthy.
