Mike Conley Jr. is returning to Minnesota after a trade deadline pinball trip through the league.
After being traded twice and waived this week,the longtime NBA veteran is planning to return to the Timberwolvesas a free agent, according to ESPN. Conley and Minnesota are working out the timing of him re-signing with the team.
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Conley, 38, was first dealt this week from the Wolves to the Chicago Bulls as part ofa three-team tradethat sent Kevin Huerter and Dario Šarić to the Detroit Pistons. Detroit also received a 2026 protected first-round swap with Minnesota. Also in the deal, Jaden Ivey went from the Pistons to the Bulls.
A day later, Conley was on his wayto the Charlotte Hornets with Coby Whitein exchange for Collin Sexton and three second-round picks. The Bulls also acquired Ousmane Dieng from Charlotte in a deal in which the Oklahoma City Thunder got Mason Plumlee.
Yet neither the Bulls nor Hornets intended to keep Conley and his $10.7 million salary for the 2025-26 campaign. He can be a free agent after the season.
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The NBA's collective bargaining agreement says teams are not allowed to trade a player and then re-sign him if he's waived. However, Conley can return to Minnesota since he was traded a second time before he was let go.
Following the brief interruption to his stay, Conley will resume his fourth season with the Timberwolves. He returns to a Minnesota team thatadded Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillipsin another deadline deal that sent Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller and four second-round picks to Chicago.
Before being dealt, Conley was averaging 4.4 points, 2.9 assists and 1.8 rebounds while limited to 44 games with back spasms and tendinopathy in his right Achilles.
Overall, Conley has played 19 seasons in the NBA, 12 for the Memphis Grizzlies and four with the Utah Jazz. During his career, he has averaged 13.7 points and 5.6 assists while shooting 39% on 3-pointers.
Minnesota is 32-20 and in sixth place in the West.
