On The Mend, Conley Adopts Recruiting Role With Gay

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Though his hamstring didn’t allow him to help the Utah Jazz on the floor the way he would have liked during the playoffs, Mike Conley may have given the franchise their biggest assist of the summer with former teammate Rudy Gay.

After deciding to re-sign with the Jazz in his own bout with free agency, Conley was quickly tasked with the role of recruiter, looking to bring additional help to Utah. With the Jazz wanting to add more experience and versatility in the frontcourt, Conley dialed up a familiar name.

“After free agency started, [general manager] Justin [Zanik] and everybody was calling me, telling me to call Rudy and see where he’s at,” Conley said. “See where his mind was at.”

Rudy Gay and Hassan Whiteside said they chose to sign with the @utahjazz over other contenders.

Meanwhile, Eric Paschall is looking forward to a fresh start in Utah.

Read what the new Jazzmen had to say after signing their deals #takenote https://t.co/y7ksKTv6RY

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) August 9, 2021

Apparently, Conley made a convincing pitch. The All-Star guard agreed to his contract on Monday afternoon, and by Tuesday morning, Gay was a Jazzman.

“Rudy asked a lot of questions, tried to get a feel of how he would be used, the system, Utah as a whole, and our team,” Conley said. “Obviously, he made the decision to come and play with us.”

The two players began their careers in Memphis with Gay being traded to the Grizzlies on draft night in 2006. After a 22-60 season, the Grizzlies drafted Conley with the fourth overall pick in 2007.

Gay and Conley were cornerstones of the Grizzlies “Grind City” mentality until the former UConn wing was traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2013.

“You had another guy who brings another form of grit, another form of having been through the fire,” Conley said of his former teammate. “I’ve been through ups and downs, I’ve seen a lot. A lot of leadership coming from him so he’ll make the locker room that much better.”

BREAKING: According to multiple reports, the @utahjazz will sign veteran forward Rudy Gay. He spent just over six seasons in Memphis playing with Mike Conley.#TakeNote https://t.co/ufTM2Scx91

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 3, 2021

The two wasted no time getting together after choosing to team up again in Utah. According to Gay, Conley has taken a leading role in showing him the ropes off the court.

“I actually flew here with him,” Gay said of traveling to watch the Jazz at the Las Vegas Summer League. “Talked to him about Salt Lake City and where to live and all that stuff. He’s been my tour guide.”

As for Conley, while he’s working on improving the team through his many league connections, he’s also focused on rehabbing from the hamstring injury that sidelined him through most of the team’s second-round loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Mike Conley said his hamstring is feeling better, said he's been going through a program to knock out the issues that have caused him problems over the last two seasons.

Lots of yoga and stretching.

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) August 9, 2021

“A lot of strength, a lot of yoga, a lot of stretching, a lot of things I’ve taken a liking to know that I haven’t really done or added to my regimen,” Conley said. “But it’s been good and I’m excited about the year.”

Conley and Gay have another six weeks of the offseason to reunite before the Jazz gather officially in late September.