Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley (R) drives against Brooklyn Nets' Thaddeus Young. (Photo : Getty Images)
The New York Knicks are rumored to be interested in snagging free agent-to-be Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies in the summer, but it reportedly would take "some serious cash" to make the deal push through.
Fansided's Maxwell Ogden reported that a "realistic" target for the Knicks this coming offseason would be the 28-year-old Grizzlies point guard, who is currently in the final year of his five-year, $40 million contract with Memphis that would make him an unrestricted free agent in July.
Conley, considered by a lot of analysts as one of the most underrated players in the league right now, is earning an average of $8 million annually under the said Grizzlies' contract and there are numerous reports that the fourth overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft is looking for "financial security" as much as getting the opportunity to play for a championship contending team.
One person who believes that to be the case is his former coach and mentor Lionel Hollins, whom he had grown a close relationship with during the bench tactician's stint as Memphis' head coach from 2009 to 2013.
Hollins was instrumental in preparing and developing Conley to be the efficient and productive player that he is right now and allegedly the two are still in close connection with one another.
"I don't know if Michael looks elsewhere but that might end up being the best move. Mike is at that crossroads where he's (28) years old. He's coming up on a contract year. He wants to get paid," Hollins said in a recent radio interview, as reported by the New York Daily News.
"Will Memphis pay him as much as somebody else? If he can get to a situation that has a future of winning or is he going to go to a team that doesn't have a future of winning? That's probably going to be important to him as well," the 62-year-old coach and former NBA player added.
Conley is expected to demand a max contract with any team he will join this summer. If the Knicks really want him, then it could cost them around $25 million a season, Ogden reports.
New York is already paying their team leader, Carmelo Anthony, almost that same amount per season while also compensating starters Robin Lopez and Arron Afflalo $14 million and $8 million a year respectively.
It remains to be seen whether Phil Jackson and his gang are willing to shell out that kind of money for the services of Conley, though.
