Even before he was officially introduced on Tuesday, Mike Conley had made it clear that he chose to sign in Boston because he wanted to be part of a flagship franchise in the NBA. But his quotes at his introductory press conference should make everyone understand what the organization saw in Conley and why the interest was mutual.
"I still can do it on the court, off the court. But leadership is one thing I know I can bring, and the urgency that even myself and Paul have got to bring for this team is two guys who haven't had a chance to win a championship yet."
It’s obviously great to hear that he thinks he can still do it on the court, but he’s less than a month away from his 39th birthday, and it’s hard to imagine that he’ll serve as much more than a fringe-rotation depth piece.
Conley can make a huge impact as a veteran leader
But the way he can really bring value to Boston is exactly what he referenced in the second part of his comment: leadership and urgency.
The Celtics have done a great job of building up depth in the last few seasons, but with guys like Al Horford, Jrue Holiday, and Jaylen Brown leaving in the last couple of years, there was a major void in terms of experience and veteran leadership. Conley is a perfect guy to fill that hole and bring his 19 years of NBA service to the locker room.
Mike has been around a lot of great teams and players over the course of his career, and he’s just about seen it all, but as he mentioned, the one thing he hasn’t done is win a title. And that extra sense of urgency he brings with him will add even more to the leadership he can bring to the table, as he already talked about how he has been working with Payton Pritchard and others.
Conley desperately wants to win a ring in Boston
This isn’t just some guy who’s along for the ride and wants one final paycheck. Conley expressed how badly he wants to win and that he wants to do it in Boston. He talked about how important the winning culture is to him, and the fact that he wanted to be a part of it so badly at this stage speaks volumes.
Whether or not he can actually contribute on the court remains to be seen. The Celtics could use a true backup point guard, and stylistically, he would fit the bill, but there may not be much left in the tank. But in the locker room, in the huddle, in practice, and on the bench, he can make a massive impact.
Based on everything he said on Tuesday, it sounds like he’s fully ready to embrace that role and help this team reach its goal of winning a championship any way he can. And that’s all that Celtics fans should be looking for. Seeing him finally win a ring in Boston would be a beautiful sight for everyone.
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