The Grizzlies threw the NBA world into a bit of a tizzy a couple of days ago with their somewhat surprising and apparently excessive 5 year, $40 million contract extension for point guard Mike Conley.
The instant reaction nationally ranged from apocalyptic outrage to the measured and mildly optimistic, but the default was about what we’ve come to expect: A questionable move greeted with a bit of critical over-reaction based on the shaky reputation of the franchise and its owner.
I’ve been provoked to something like outrage by moves this team has made before — such as drafting Hasheem Thabeet and signing Allen Iverson — but am much more conflicted about the Conley extension, which provokes a set of questions I’ll try to work through here:
*What kind of expectations does this contract set for Conley?
*What are his chances of meeting those expectations?
*Was this is a wise — or even reasonable — move for the team?
*What are the long-term team-building ramifications.
Putting the Contract in Perspective:
The immediate anguish and torment inspired by the Conley contract has probably given some fans who don’t follow the league closely the wrong impression. As reported by the Commercial Appeal’s Ron Tillery, the year-by-year salary in Conley’s extension, which kicks in during the 2011-2012 season, will break down like this:
6.5/7.2/7.9/8.8/9.7
