The NBA trade rumors could feature point guard Mike Conley if the Memphis Grizzlies' contender chances continue to fade.
While they have signed Marc Gasol to a long-term deal, he cannot do it alone and it's possible that it may be time to admit that the "Grit and Grind" era will no longer make them contenders.
This was mentioned by Sir Charles in Charge who declared that the Grizzlies are "spiraling out of relevancy."
One of the biggest dilemmas that the Grizzlies would have is the impending free agency of point guard Mike Conley. If the Grizzlies continue to falter, it would be very difficult for Conley to choose to stay, even with Marc Gasol around especially when teams who need top point guards will be very aggressive in pursuing him.
One of those teams would be the New York Knicks. The team has been a laughingstock lately and their record for attracting free agents are shady, but they are surprisingly competitive and some quarters believe they are playoff bound. TNT's Charles Barkley actually guaranteed it to Ian Begley of ESPN.
Conley will be a free agent, but the Knicks can try and lock him up early hoping that a possible playoff run and the allure of the Big Apple will convince him to stay. Mike Conley has often been underrated and he would be more of a household name if he would be on the Madison Square Garden marquee.
The Knicks would possibly offer most anyone from the roster except for Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis to take Conley and they could become a serious contender in the East.
Another team that would covet Conley is the New Orleans Pelicans. The obvious lure for Conley is playing with Anthony Davis. The Pelicans have Jrue Holiday but he is often injured and Conley is a much better option as he is used to working with defensive big men. The Pelicans can offer Eric Gordon along with Holiday and perhaps draft picks to sweeten the deal.
Of course, these trades are all hypothetical and based on the remote possibility that the Grizzlies would choose to rebuild.