The Minnesota Timberwolves have risen to the top of the Western Conference this season and are set to keep a core player in place. Per multiple reports, the Wolves and point guard Mike Conley have agreed to a two-year extension that will keep him in Minnesota until the 2025-26 season.
The team officially announced the move on Feb. 23.
Minnesota Timberwolves G Mike Conley Jr. has agreed on a two-year $21 million extension, Steven Heumann and Jess Holtz of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN. The Timberwolves keep Conley Jr. out of summer free agency and in backcourt thru 2025-2026. pic.twitter.com/M9MSc3zdsr
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 19, 2024
Conley, 36, is in his first full season with the Wolves and is averaging 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists while shooting 44.4% overall and 44.2% on 3-pointers.
What this move means: Minnesota has been in the thick of the chase for the No. 1 seed in the West all season and enters the post-All-Star break portion of 2023-24 leading the West at 39-16. The Wolves are 1 1/2 games ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder and two games ahead of the No. 3-seeded LA Clippers.
Conley has proven to be a steadying force for the Wolves — a trait that has followed Conley throughout his career. While he is averaging only 28.9 minutes per game this season, he ranks No. 7 in the NBA in total fourth-quartet assists and ranks among the NBA leaders in total deflections as well. His play on both ends has helped Minnesota rank No. 1 in defensive rating (108.2) and No. 3 in net rating (7.0).
Minnesota picked up Conley at the trade deadline in 2023 as part of a three-team, eight-player deal that moved him from the Utah Jazz to the Wolves. He appeared in 24 games with the Wolves in 2022-23, posting 11.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg and 6.7 apg as the team made the playoffs but lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round.
In reaching a deal with Conley, the Wolves have locked up the principal players in their core — Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels — for the next several seasons. Of that group, only Gobert (player option in 2025-26) and Reid (player option in 2025-26) are potentially due to reach free agency any time soon.