Anthony Edwards Can’t Fully Grasp Mike Conely’s Pain As 20-Year-Old Star Emerges As Timberwolves Saviour Next Season

Despite losing his second straight Conference Finals, Anthony Edwards took the unfortunate outcome in stride, “It’s exciting. I don’t think we’re hurt. It’s exciting for me.” His reaction makes sense, considering he is just 23-years-old and has his entire career ahead of him. Ant-Man knows he will get more opportunities to get over the hump if he continues playing at a high level. However, same cannot be said for Mike Conley, who at 37-years-old, is nearing the end of his road.

For the eighteenth straight year, Conley finished the season without a ring on his finger. Sure enough, he was devastated by the loss, realizing how close he was to living his dream, “When I was walking off the floor I was thinking, ‘Not again.’ It was a nightmare, man.” What he feared the most was the possibility of this being his last shot at winning the championship.

Well, Conley has just one year left on his current contract and his performance is declining each season. Moreover, its not every year that a team makes it to the Conference Finals. In his eighteen-year career, the veteran guard has been to this stage only three times. Who knows if he will make it there again before Father Time catches up to him? That’s why even Ant-Man felt bad for Conley, “I’m 23. I get to do it a bunch of times. I hurt more so for Mike and coming up short for Mike. We tried it last year. We tried it again this year. We will try again next year.”

Although Edwards was upset about not winning it for Conley, the veteran guard understands that the youngster cannot fully grasp his pain. “I can’t expect him to understand, honestly. I don’t think he truthfully does. He has a lot of time, and I know he knows that. But for me, I’m on the other end of it. I know how hard it is. It hurts a lot. I wanted it so bad. I wanted it for these guys.” Mike told Andscape. Despite being teammates, Conley and Ant are on the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of their career. One is rising to be the potential face of the league while other is counting his days as a player. So, Ant will never fully understand Mike’s pain until he reaches that stage in his career.

Meanwhile, Conley’s age and declining performance have left the Timberwolves in a major pickle. But one young star could solve their problem – Rob Dillingham!

Rob Dillingham could be the solution to the Timberwolves’ Mike Conley problem

Well, Conley has been the starting point guard for the Wolves since he joined. He is a solid playmaker who can shoot efficiently from the three-point line, a perfect floor general for Anthony Edwards and Co. But Mike’s performance declined significantly this season, as he averaged a career low 8.2 points. His numbers declined further during the playoffs to 6 points and a little over three assists. With his age, it’s clear that the Wolves can no longer bank on Conley to play 30+ minutes every night, and produce at a high level. Enter Rob Dillingham.

Oct 17, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) works around Minnesota Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham (4) in the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Last year, the Minnesota team acquired Dillingham in the draft after the Spurs picked him at number 8. As the Wolves were gunning for the championship, the rookie did not get much playing time, averaging only 4.5 points in limited minutes. But now that they need a true point guard to share the load with Conley, the 20-year-old could become their saviour next season.

While Dillingham did not get much opportunity to showcase his talent this year, he was elite during his maiden season at Kentucky. As a freshman, he averaged 15.2 points and nearly four assists. Moreover, he shot 44.4% from the three-point line. His attributes are eerily similar to that of Conley. Even his defense is decent, considering Rob is only 6’1. If the Timberwolves focus on developing his talent this summer, and give him meaningful minutes starting next season, Dillingham could have a breakout year and prove himself as a legitimate starting point guard. That would fill a major void for the franchise. Meanwhile, Conley would hope that he gets at least one more shot at winning the championship next season before his contract expires. Do you think he will get that coveted ring before he hangs up his boots?

The post Anthony Edwards Can’t Fully Grasp Mike Conely’s Pain As 20-Year-Old Star Emerges As Timberwolves Saviour Next Season appeared first on EssentiallySports.