Report: Teams Eyeing Jazz Beasley, Conley Before Trade Deadline

SALT LAKE CITY – With the trade deadline quickly approaching, Utah Jazz guards Mike Conley and Malik Beasley are reportedly popular names in NBA circles.

According to several reports over the last week, both Beasley and Conley have multiple suitors in trade talks.

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Conley has drawn trade deadline interest from both the Los Angeles Clippers and the Minnesota Timberwolves per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

New Inside Pass on @TheAthletic:

🏀 Spurs' Jakob Poeltl garnering significant interest
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🏀 Updates on Raptors' Fred VanVleet, Jazz's Mike Conley Jr.

Much more: https://t.co/SqB74lRkGL

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 17, 2023

Clippers guard John Wall recently suffered an abdominal injury, and the team could use additional depth throughout their roster.

The Clippers had discussions with the Jazz about Conley’s availability before the season began, but no trade materialized.

The Timberwolves meanwhile could use a veteran ballhandler like Conley to relieve pressure on blossoming star Anthony Edwards, while also improving their middling roster.

Minnesota finds itself in a difficult position of needing to add talent, while also lacking the assets to improve significantly after paying an enormous sum to acquire Rudy Gobert last summer.

The Timberwolves’ most valuable trade asset is guard D’Angelo Russell who has been productive statistically but overlaps with Edwards’ skillset.

A Conley for Russell trade doesn’t work financially, but the Jazz have several players who they could add to the trade to make a deal work.

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— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) January 16, 2023

Jordan Clarkson, Kelly Olynyk, Talen Horton-Tucker, Rudy Gay, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker would each satisfy the league requirements to complete the trade.

In return for a player of Russell’s production, Minnesota would likely be asking for Clarkson to help their playoff hopes.

Last week, NBA Insider Marc Stein reported that Clarkson had “rebuffed” the Jazz extension offers amid a career year with the franchise.

The Jazz are limited on the size of extension they can offer Clarkson during this season, and risk losing the high-scoring guard in unrestricted free agency when it opens in July.

With Russell, the Jazz would get a $31 million expiring contract, and get out from underneath the $24 million Conley is owed next season, over $14 million of which is guaranteed.

Danny Ainge, Justin Zanik, and Will Hardy could also use the final three months of the NBA season to see how the 26-year-old Russell fits with the current roster, and if he would be a suitable long-term option to pursue this summer.

Several Teams Have Trade Interest In Beasley

While two teams have been identified as showing interest in Conley, there is a longer list of suitors who have looked into the availability of Malik Beasley.

Beasley has been linked to both the Atlanta Hawks and the Phoenix Suns over the last several months in trades built around former Jazzman Jae Crowder and Hawks forward John Collins.

Both teams have reportedly shown interest in Jazz forward Jarred Vanderbilt as well.

The @utahjazz have reportedly discussed a three-team trade with the @suns and @ATLHawks in a deal that surrounded Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jae Crowder, and John Collins. #TakeNote https://t.co/IDbdU92AGY

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 28, 2022

Per Stein, the Cleveland Cavaliers have also explored trade options for Beasley as they look to bolster their rosters with shooters ahead of the playoffs.

Beasley has made the fifth-most three-pointers in the NBA this season with 143 and is the only non-starter to rank in the top 10.

The guard has a one-year, $16.5 million team option left on his contract. The seventh-year veteran is wearing 13.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 27 minutes per game with the Jazz.

Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.

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