Celtics sign veteran guard Mike Conley to roster amid Jaylen Brown trade buzz

former All-Star guard Mike Conley playing in game for the Minnesota Timberwolves

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Matthew Couden

By Matthew Couden

Contributing Writer

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The Boston Celtics are making offseason moves to ensure they have a solid roster around All-Star Jayson Tatum, should they trade Jaylen Brown.

On Wednesday, the team added veteran guard Mike Conley, who signed a one-year deal to play for the Celtics. Conley joins the team after last playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who failed to advance past the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference playoffs.

Conley, 38, brings the team plenty of veteran experience, having joined the league in 2007. He experienced a career-low 18.4 minutes per game last season for the Timberwolves, averaging 4.5 points, 2.9 assists, and 1.7 rebounds.

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former All-Star guard Mike Conley playing in game for the Minnesota Timberwolves

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According to ESPN's NBA insider, Shams Charania, Conley had "a handful of offers," and his agents, Steven Heumann and Jessica Holtz of CAA Sports, informed the Celtics Wednesday morning of his intent to sign with the team.

Conley signing with the Celtics to play next season makes him the 14th player in league history to have played in the league for 20 years. In addition to his signing, Boston added New York Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson to their lineup in a free-agency signing on Wednesday.

As it stands, Boston has several younger guards in their rotation, including starter Derrick White and reserve Payton Pritchard. The Conley signing doesn't feel like a depth move for the Celtics, but more about bringing in a 20-year veteran with a high basketball IQ to mentor other players, especially after his stats dipped considerably last season.

The Robinson and Conley moves come as Jaylen Brown's future with the team remains uncertain. There are plenty of rumors and reports suggesting the Celtics are aggressively trying to trade the five-time NBA All-Star, so Wednesday's free agency signings could factor into a trade package, or simply be to boost their roster.

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On Wednesday, Shams Charania indicated that the Celtics are talking to multiple teams, potentially "eight to 10" teams. He also said, based on his sources, Brown has not requested a trade, but the Celtics are working to move him to another team.

However, there is always the possibility that Brown stays with the Celtics for a bit, at least to start the upcoming season, as Boston continues to assess trade opportunities. After all, fans have seen plenty of these lengthier situations play out in past trade talks and speculation.