The fans at Barclays Center for the Nets’ game against the Grizzlies on Wednesday night pleaded for Memphis’ free-agent-to-be Mike Conley to sign with their team, with some chanting “Conley, come to Brooklyn!”
But listen closely to arguably the best available point guard — who is at the top of the wish list for both the Knicks and Nets — and it’s apparent the Knicks are in decent shape to lure him. The Nets? Not so much.
Conley, who led the Grizzlies to a 109-90 win Wednesday, called going to a contender his biggest goal in free agency and added it was tough to see the Nets fire Lionel Hollins, whom he considered a father figure from the days when the coach ran the show in Memphis.
“Oh, it’s tough,’’ when asked by The Post about signing in Brooklyn after Hollins’ firing. “But at the same time, like I said, I’ll give everybody their fair shot. Lionel being here obviously was a big reason to look. But at the same time, with him gone, I’ll give everybody the same look.”
After speaking positively about the Knicks on Friday, Conley — who had nine of his team-high 20 points in Memphis’ game-deciding 20-5 third-quarter run — said he doesn’t think Derek Fisher’s firing will impact how he views the Knicks this summer.
“At the end of the day I’ll give everybody the same attention regardless of the situation and hear everything out,’’ Conley said with a shrug.
Asked by The Post what would be the biggest factor in his decision, he said it wasn’t money or comfort with a coach, but a shot at a ring.
“I want to win,’’ Conley said. “That’s what I want to do at the end of the day, wherever that may be. Hopefully when that time comes, I’ll have a better vision of what I want going forward in the summer. But right now I’m all about winning. I want to be somewhere that’s committed to doing that.’’
Memphis, which is 31-22, has recent success and the presence of Marc Gasol (currently out with a broken right foot) going for it in trying to retain Conley. But at 14-40 and having fired his mentor, Brooklyn has neither.