The Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Roland Tillery acknowledges that Grizzlies PG Mike Conley “is enjoying a career year after three games”, and while the former Greg Oden associate has put up respectable numbers thus far, it seems like a rather small sample size from which to justify a 5-year, $4 million extension.  Or, to be less diplomatic, in the words of CBS Sports’ Matt Moore —ever mindful of how this pact will impede Memphis’ ability to resign Marc Gasol and O.J. Mayo — it’s nothing less than “franchise suicide”.

This right here, is not just the worst move in the history of the Grizzlies, but it is the shining golden cap on the mountain of terrible moves made by NBA owners over the past 2 years. It is this, exact move, that nullifies any argument the owners can possibly make that they spend their money responsibly inside the current CBA. It is this contract that overshadows Joe Johnson’s contract, Amir Johnson’s contract, Darko Milicic’s contract as the single worst contract handed out in 2010.

Mike Conley is the worst starting point guard in the NBA. That’s including Derek Fisher, who is at this point a defensive signpost, is a superior point guard. People often wonder why it is I consider this to be so. The reasons are numerous. It’s not that Mike Conley is not a good basketball player. He is. He’s a career 44% shooter, and 38% from the arc, which isn’t bad at all. As a spot-up back-up combo guard, he wouldn’t be bad at all. Mike Conley is not a bad NBA player. But there are three things this contract supposes that he is not. He is not a starting caliber point guard. He is not worth $45 million dollars over 5 years. And he is not worth the long-term damage this contract does to the Memphis Grizzlies franchise.

What you’re looking at with this extension is the rare combination of a move that’s bad in and of itself, and mortgages your ability to win later by most likely expending two of your three best players. You now have $120 million committed to Rudy Gay and Mike Conley over the next six years. That’s bad enough, but you’ll most likely be losing better players in order to form around that core. It damages you in the short term. This is a player who you have tried to improve upon with Jamal Tinsley, moving O.J. Mayo to point, Greivis Vasquez, Allen Iverson, and I’m pretty sure a clone of John Stockton. But this is the player you have chosen to give $40 million-plus to.