The Utah Jazz have officially agreed to trade Donovan Mitchell, initiating full-scale rebuild mode. With 13 unprotected or lightly protected first-round picks between now and the 2029 draft, brighter days are ahead. In the meantime, the Jazz must focus on maximizing trade returns for incumbent veterans who are much better suited for teams actually trying to win. One player whose name has already swirled in trade rumors is Mike Conley.

The 34-year-old point guard plays with a poise and polish that is crucial to winning and would be beneficial for any contending team. In a slightly minimized role with the Jazz last season, Conley averaged 13.7 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game while shooting 40.8% on three-point attempts. His ability to play both on and off the ball is a major asset. With still plenty of time for Utah to find a new destination for Conley ahead of 2022-23, here are two teams that could benefit the most from his play.

2. New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans are set to be one of the league’s surprise teams this season. They took some really positive steps forward last year and cruised past the Clippers in the play-in game while also winning two games against the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round. The addition of CJ McCollum has made an impact and Brandon Ingram is beginning to flourish into the high-caliber player it was hoped he would become. The franchise is also expecting Zion Williamson to make his return to the court this season who has impressed greatly in the limited game action he has seen.

As they make this leap from a young and fun team to one looking to contend in the playoffs, Mike Conley is the type of player that can make a major impact.