The Minnesota Timberwolves have brought veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr. back into the fold, finalizing his return Wednesday just two weeks after trading him away in a series of cost-cutting moves.
Conley, in his 19th NBA season, was initially dealt in a three-team trade that sent him to the Chicago Bulls. A day later, Chicago flipped him — along with guard Coby White — to the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets waived Conley the following day, setting up an unusual path back to Minnesota.
Because he was traded twice in quick succession and then released, Conley became eligible to re-sign with the Timberwolves. Minnesota capitalized, inking him to a veteran minimum contract after shedding his previous salary to dip below the NBA’s first luxury tax apron. That financial maneuver not only reduced the team’s tax burden but also created the flexibility necessary to acquire guard Ayo Dosunmu in a separate transaction with Chicago.
While Conley’s minutes and statistical output have declined this season, his value to Minnesota extends beyond the box score. A four-time NBA Sportsmanship Award winner and two-time Teammate of the Year, he remains one of the league’s most respected veterans, prized for his leadership and steady presence.
At 34-22, Minnesota sits sixth in the Western Conference and will resume play Friday against the Dallas Mavericks following the All-Star break, with a familiar face once again anchoring its locker room.
