Wolves guard Mike Conley is averaging 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists this season.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have risen to the top of the Western Conference this season and are set to keep a core player in place. Per multiple reports, the Wolves and point guard Mike Conley have agreed to a two-year extension that will keep him in Minnesota until the 2025-26 season.
The team officially announced the move on Feb. 23.
Minnesota Timberwolves G Mike Conley Jr. has agreed on a two-year $21 million extension, Steven Heumann and Jess Holtz of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN. The Timberwolves keep Conley Jr. out of summer free agency and in backcourt thru 2025-2026. pic.twitter.com/M9MSc3zdsr
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 19, 2024
Conley, 36, is in his first full season with the Wolves and is averaging 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists while shooting 44.4% overall and 44.2% on 3-pointers.
What this move means: Minnesota has been in the thick of the chase for the No. 1 seed in the West all season and enters the post-All-Star break portion of 2023-24 leading the West at 39-16. The Wolves are 1 1/2 games ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder and two games ahead of the No. 3-seeded LA Clippers.
Conley has proven to be a steadying force for the Wolves — a trait that has followed Conley throughout his career. While he is averaging only 28.9 minutes per game this season, he ranks No. 7 in the NBA in total fourth-quartet assists and ranks among the NBA leaders in total deflections as well. His play on both ends has helped Minnesota rank No. 1 in defensive rating (108.2) and No. 3 in net rating (7.0).
Minnesota picked up Conley at the trade deadline in 2023 as part of a three-team, eight-player deal that moved him from the Utah Jazz to the Wolves. He appeared in 24 games with the Wolves in 2022-23, posting 11.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg and 6.7 apg as the team made the playoffs but lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round.
In reaching a deal with Conley, the Wolves have locked up the principal players in their core — Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels — for the next several seasons. Of that group, only Gobert (player option in 2025-26) and Reid (player option in 2025-26) are potentially due to reach free agency any time soon.
