Memphis Grizzlies NBA Roster, Injury News 2018: Mike Conley to Have Season-Ending Surgery on His Heel
The good news is that Mike Conley finally has a clear timetable for his return. The bad news is that he has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
The Memphis Grizzlies have announced that Conley has decided to undergo season-ending surgery "to smooth a small bone protrusion in his left heel."
Conley hasn't played since Nov. 13, and he has attempted a variety of treatment options to alleviate the soreness in his left Achilles and heel in the past couple of months. However, it never got better. Now he will have plenty of time to recover and he should be ready for the start of training camp in the fall.
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According to Conley's father, Mike Sr., the veteran point guard has been considering the procedure for a long time.
"He always knew he could have done this. He wanted to avoid it," Mike Sr. said, via the Commercial Appeal. "It wasn't like he saw somebody and they said he needed to do it. He didn't want to be out four or five months this season if he could avoid it. But he'll be back at top shape in five months," he continued.
"The good thing about this decision is everybody in the organization was in line. This decision is in everyone's best interest," he added.
Well, there's really no need to rush Conley back anyway. As of the moment, the Grizzlies (17–31) have the fourth-worst record in the Western Conference and they are unlikely to make the playoffs unless they go on a monumental run in the next couple of months.
Conley has only appeared in 12 games this season, averaging 17.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and a steal in under 32 minutes per game. He also shot 38.1 percent from the field, 31.2 percent from beyond the arc, and 80.3 percent from the free-throw line.
