When the 2026-27 NBA season tips off, Mike Conley will become just the 14th player in league history to reach 20 seasons. The newest addition to the Boston Celtics' backcourt turns 39 in October. That means Joe Mazzulla, who celebrated his 38th birthday at the end of June, must carefully manage the veteran guard's minutes.
That will happen through multiple methods. At times, it will call for short-shifting Payton Pritchard and Derrick White, giving one a fairly quick breather before subbing in for the other. However, there's another option that figures to be more popular.
That approach is to lean on Boston's depth at the wing position. The Celtics could open the game with White and Pritchard on the floor before shifting to have one primary ball handler in the backcourt. That's even easier to operate with if Jayson Tatum is still in the game.
Breaking down how the Celtics will keep Mike Conley fresh
Even when Tatum isn't in, from Paul George to Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr., there are plenty of people to help divvy up the team's usage rate.
As the Celtics saw in the playoffs, even at 36, George can create for himself. Gonzalez, Scheierman, and Harper are effective at filling the role of connector and provide secondary playmaking.
As Walsh discussed at Summer League, he has made an offensive evolution his priority this offseason.
I asked Jordan Walsh about the focus of his offseason workouts as he builds off a breakout year.
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) July 12, 2026
“The biggest thing (is) I'm trying to change my identity offensively. I'm trying to become a better, way better offensive player.
“I'm trying to fit in situations that I didn't fit… pic.twitter.com/qVQoVabgJ0
"I feel like there's a lot of times in the season last year where it became clutch moments where we need a bucket, and I have to get subbed out," said Walsh about the motivation for his desire to change his offensive identity. "I talked to my PD [player development] coach. I said, 'When those moments come, I want to always be the best option. I want to be the best choice.' So for me, it's working on my shot, working on my handle, working on creating my own shot when I have those pockets."
He's already an effective spot-up option who can generate extra possessions by attacking the offensive glass. However, if Walsh earns the coaching staff's trust in the areas he mentioned, it would represent a welcome boost.
So, while Boston may start games with Pritchard and White on the floor, it would make sense to spend most matchups with only one of them in the lineup, surrounded by a trio of wings and whoever's patrolling the pivot.
Conley averaged 18.4 minutes last season. That number might not change much, but it makes sense for it to come down a little bit. Maybe he'll log 16 per contest instead. At 39, that seems reasonable.
Two years ago, he appeared in 71 games and was on the floor for 24.7 minutes. Now, he's coming off a campaign in which he suited up 54 times and saw his minutes shaved by six.
He's still an effective option, and his ability to minimize turnovers will help the Celtics win the possession battle and limit opponents' points in transition. However, it is best to pace Conley carefully. It will also help with cultivating their blossoming wings, which need playing time to grow.
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