Mike Conley expected to return to Timberwolves

Mike Conley is expected to find his way back to Minnesota.

Conley intends to re-sign with the Timberwolves once he clears waivers, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania. It’s the kind of ending both sides quietly hoped for after a chaotic week.

Conley was traded twice in a matter of days. The Wolves first sent him to Chicago in a salary-clearing move. The Bulls then flipped him to Charlotte, and the Hornets promptly waived him.

Because Conley was traded twice, NBA rules allow him to rejoin Minnesota once he clears waivers. The restriction only applies to the last team that traded him away, which in this case was Chicago.

On the floor, Conley’s role has diminished. Now 38 and in his 19th season, he ceded the starting job earlier this year and is averaging career lows across the board. But his value in Minnesota has never been strictly about numbers.

Reports before the deadline suggested the Wolves were reluctant to move him because of his leadership and locker room presence. That context matters.

Minnesota was able to shed his $10.8 million expiring deal, then circle back on a minimum contract. It’s a clean bit of business.

The timing is still being sorted out. Conley clears waivers Saturday, but Minnesota may wait a bit to avoid inching closer to the tax. Either way, the reunion appears inevitable.