Times are rough in Memphis right now, and it appears they're not going to get better any time soon.
Grizzlies All-Star point guard Mike Conley will have surgery on his injured left heel, which will cause him to miss the remainder of the season. Memphis general manager Chris Wallace announced the news in an email to season ticket holders on Saturday.
Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace announces in email moments ago to MVP season-ticket holders that Mike Conley will require season-ending surgery "to smooth a small bone protrusion" in his left heel. Conley is expected to make a full recovery ahead of training camp.
— Michael Wallace (@MyMikeCheck) January 27, 2018
Conley has played in only 12 games this season as the Grizzlies have struggled to 17-31 record, currently the fourth-worst in the Western Conference. The season has been filled with drama, as former head coach David Fizdale was fired in late November amid reports of a strained relationship with center Marc Gasol.
"Mike has been extremely diligent as we pursued multiple different approaches to alleviate the pain before deciding surgery was the best solution," Wallace said in the email.
Wallace also anticipated the obvious question: Does this mean the Grizzlies will tank the rest of the season in the hopes of securing a top draft pick to add to the Conley-Gasol duo next season?
"So, what does that mean for the balance of this season, which to date has not gone as we had planned and hoped?" he said. "Simply put, we are committed to playing hard and playing the right way night in and night out, while developing our young talent."
So, that's pretty much admitting to tanking without saying it outright. We'll likely we see less and less of veterans like Gasol, Chandler Parsons and Tyreke Evans as the season progresses, while the Grizzlies see what they have in young players like Kobi Simmons, Deyonta Davis and Ivan Rabb.
