Milwaukee Bucks: One bold prediction for every player
By Robby Cowles
Pat Connaughton
Prediction: Will start at least 10 games for the Bucks
Why it will happen: In his first three years for the Portland Trail Blazers, Connaughton was mostly a bench-warmer, playing in just a handful of games off the bench. Last season, however, Connaughton appeared in all 82 games for Portland and started five games as well.
Despite being on a team with other wings like Snell, Brown, DiVincenzo and Shabazz Muhammad, there’s no doubt that Connaughton’s skill set matches up well with what Budenholzer is looking for in a perimeter player.
Connaughton can knock down deep balls at a decent rate, 35 percent last season, while offering the Bucks some much-needed athleticism on both offense and defense. Plus, injuries and the occasional day off for players like Middleton and Snell would open the opportunity for Connaughton to slide into the starting lineup.
Why it won’t happen: Connaughton is a solid bench player, but hasn’t shown yet in his brief NBA career to be a reliable starter. In his three-year career, he’s had a grand total of six starts in the NBA.
His athleticism and solid shooting are impressive, but his defense has always been sub-par at best, which is not a good way to get minutes on a Budenholzer-coached team.
Budenholzer emphasizes the ability for his perimeter players to be tough on defense in multiple positions, and if Connaughton can’t show that, his offensive potential would mean little.