NBA Trade 2018-19: Moves That Almost Happened

2. Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz/Detroit Pistons:

Memphis Grizzlies were actively shopping their star Mike Conley

Mike Conley and Marc Gasol were the 2 pillars on which the Memphis Grizzlies established their Grit-n-Grind era. They led the Grizzlies to multiple playoff runs and have achieved a lot of success. Last season, when Conley and Gasol, both were out due to injuries, Grizzlies realized that they needed to rebuild. With Conley, 31, and Gasol, 34, both were actively shopped and had various suitors. Gasol managed to move on, but Conley was a difficult one to trade.

He was 31, along with 67 million in salary left on his contract and the Grizzlies asked for too much in the end. The Pistons tried to get him in a deal involving Reggie Jackson, a first-round pick and either Luke Kennard or another first-round pick, but the Grizzlies wanted more. The Jazz too were aggressive, including multiple draft picks and the expiring contract of Ricky Rubio, but when the Jazz refused to add Dante Exum, the deal seemingly fell through, making sure Conley ended the season with the Grizzlies.