Mike Conley was back to lead the helm for the Memphis Grizzlies this season. The fringe All-Star point guard signed a massive deal over the summer, the largest in NBA history, and he also inked a new shoe contract with Jordan brand. All signs were pointing up for the Ohio State product.
But on Monday night during the Grizzlies blowout loss to the Charlotte Hornets, Conley suffered a back injury. He played only 20 minutes in the game and it might be the last game he plays this year. Mike’s back injury appears to be a vertebrae fracture and should sideline him going into 2017.
Following from Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo! Sports.
Sources: Grizzlies guard Mike Conley suffered a transverse process fracture in the vertebrae. He will miss an indefinite period of time.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) November 29, 2016
But Michael Wallace of Grind City Media on Grizzlies.com has a better estimate on the time Conley is expected to miss.
Conley expected to miss 6 weeks with fractures in lower back. Will be reevaluated in a month. Conley suffered injury in Mon loss to Hornets.
— Michael Wallace (@MyMikeCheck) November 29, 2016
My understanding is Conley's injury is similar to Dallas QB Tony Romo's. No surgery required but rest and recovery needed to heal fractures.
— Michael Wallace (@MyMikeCheck) November 29, 2016
I'm told Grizzlies are confident Conley will recovery fully from the back injury. Grizzlies were scheduled to practice today in Toronto.
— Michael Wallace (@MyMikeCheck) November 29, 2016
Conley’s injury puts him on the shelf for a long period of time alongside reserve big man Brandan Wright and new signee Chandler Parsons. Wright is returning from a myriad of injuries and Parsons is still fighting a new knee issue.
Conley played 17 games so far during the young season, averaged career-highs in points at 19.2 per game and rebounds at 3.6 per game. He also was handing out 5.7 assists per game while shooting 44% from the field and 46.7% from three-point range, another career-high mark. Conley made it a point to go out and prove something to those who questioned his new deal. It looked like he was doing that and had a good case to make his first NBA All-Star game. Now those dreams may have been dashed. Conley came into this season finally healthy after only playing in 56 games last year due to an Achilles injury.
The Grizzlies are currently 11-7 on the season, good for the fifth seed in the Western Conference.
