It has been a fairly ordinary season for the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers. Both teams are struggling at the moment, and they are running neck and neck. The Jazz team is a position ahead, seeded seventh, while the Clippers are just below them at number eight. Even the number of victories is equal for the two teams- winning twenty-three games each- as the Jazz defeated the Clippers on Wednesday.
After their loss against the Jazz team, the Clippers have seen potential in a Jazz player perfect to bring back balance in their lineup. That player is none other than Mike Conley.
What did the Clippers see in Mike Conley?
In the match against the Clippers, Mike Conley was second-best to Lauri Markkanen, who scored thirty-four points. Despite scoring only seventeen points, Conley contributed massively with his nine assists to Lauri and led his team to victory; the scorecard being 126-103.
Moreover, when it comes to assists, Conley averages 7.5 per game which can be very helpful for the Clippers’ team and the likes of Norman Powell.
The Los Angeles Clippers, at the start of the tournament, had high hopes for Ivica Zubac. However, he could not deliver for the team even after playing forty-four matches. Zubac, after playing the majority of the games, only averages 10.2 points and one assist per game. It seems like he does not fit in with the team.
So, it would be wise for the team to trade him for Mike Conley Jr. It might also benefit both the Jazz team and Ivica- going into a new Ivica may find the right playing style in the Jazz squad.
The Jazz team also has plenty of young prospects like Ochai Agbaji and Malik Beasley, who are projected to be future stars, so trading Mike should not be an issue for the team.
With the trade deadlines inching closer, teams must decide quickly to ensure their desired player. Can the Clippers get Mike Conley in time? Time will tell.
