Mike Conley Extension Talks Underway; Tyus Jones Trade Cost Too Expensive for Timberwolves

Mike Conley has been a huge reason the Minnesota Timberwolves have put together one of the best regular season first halves in franchise history. He’s the ultimate starting point guard and exactly what the Wolves needed, before he was traded for.

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Conley keeps the Wolves together, on schedule and all moving in the right direction. And he does it with grace, humility and leadership we haven’t seen from that position in a long time, which is why both his teammates and the fans love him.

Mike Conley is averaging 10.8 PPG, 2.8 RBS and 6.3 AST a game and he’s played an impressive 43 of 48 games this season. And some new buzz on Thursday from local insider Darren Wolfson (KSTP) suggests the Wolves have started discussions with Mike Conley on a potential extension.

Mike Conley Extension on the Way?

Darren Wolfson joined the Mackey and Judd Show (SKOR North), shedding light on the potential future plans of the Timberwolves and Mike Conley. Conley stands out as eligible for an in season extension, setting the stage for discussions about their next moves.

“There have been discussions on an extension for Mike Conley Jr, so remember, there are a lot of guys that are not extension eligible in-season. He’s the opposite; he’s actually extension eligible right this moment. So, not to get into all the minutia, but if the Wolves wanted to sign Mike Conley Jr to a contract extension today, they could do that. Now, it’s not far down the road or anything like that, but there have been discussions. Last time I brought that up a couple of months ago, I said ‘no, nothing’s off the ground at this point’. [Extension talks are] at least a little bit off the ground.”

Darren Wolfson – Mackey and Judd Show

Due to Mike Conley’s age of 36, it’s unlikely that the extension would exceed two years. Conley’s teammates have emphasized his importance to the team, making it crucial to keep him in Minnesota. The Timberwolves record of 2-3 without Conley this season further shows his impact on the team’s performance.

Tyus Jones too expensive for Minnesota Timberwolves

Wolfson wasn’t done with his Wolves scoops, after Conley’s possible extension. Another topic of discussion revolved around the acquisition of a backup point guard, and former Timberwolves PG and Apple Valley native, Tyus Jones emerging as a possible target.

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Tyus Jones, an Apple Valley native, is having a great season on a disaster team, the Washington Wizards, who are expected to deal him before the deadline. Wolves fans would love to see him return to the Timberwolves and the fit is pretty much perfect for what they need. Wolfson, however, says that the Wizards’ asking price (a first round pic) is just too rich for Minnesota’s blood.

“I did check again on Tyus Jones, like I know Tyus Jones fans at Mayo Clinic Square. It sounds like, now, hey, maybe the price comes down like next Wednesday, 24 hours out, but right now, the price is still pretty darn high. First-round pick, the Wolves, because of the Stepien rule, they can’t even trade their 2024 first-round pick, not that they would anyway, but point is, like, the Wolves just, there’s not a match. I’ve been saying that since December. There’s not really a match for Tyus Jones, depending on restricted free agent, the former Wolf who continues to perform at a very, very solid level. Ty would help these guys so much, but it sounds like Washington is still asking for too much. That’s a trade that I just, it’s hard for me to find a match, Minnesota and Washington.”

Wolfson – Mackey and Judd Show

If the Wizards are asking for a first-round pick, the Timberwolves can’t make that trade due to the Stepien rule, as Wolfson mentioned. Perhaps as the deadline approaches and the Wizards aim to maximize their return for Tyus, the price might decrease.

However, this could still require the Timberwolves to trade away a player or two, such as Troy Brown, Kyle Anderson, or even Shake Milton. With less than a week left before the deadline, the Timberwolves have to decide whom to pursue to strengthen their roster through a trade. We’ll soon find out who they target.