Milwaukee Bucks: 5 goals for Pat Connaughton in 2018-19 season

Continue growing into an off-ball threat

Beyond his three-point capabilities, Connaughton’s work as an off-ball threat should not be slept on.

Having spent the majority of his minutes sharing the floor alongside the Blazers’ star guards, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, Connaughton grew into having to operate off of the dynamic duo’s respective gravity and high-usage dynamism under his former head coach, Terry Stotts.

That shone through during Connaughton’s hot start with the Blazers last year and prompted Stotts to insert Connaughton into the team’s starting lineup for a brief stretch in late November, which Stotts relayed the reasoning behind the decision to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian following a win over the New York Knicks:

"“He plays with a lot of confidence and he’s a very smart player. I think, offensively, it goes beyond making shots. He makes hard cuts, he makes team plays. … His role is to be a role player. He complements the players he’s out there with. He did that when he was coming off the bench and he’s doing that as a starter. He doesn’t make many mistakes. So, to me, it’s a perfect role for him right now.”"

Whether being able to slink into gaps for savvy cuts towards the rim or maneuver and knock down shots coming off screens, Connaughton’s off-ball expertise gives the Bucks an added dimension within their backcourt.

And with the added ball movement that Coach Bud is implementing within the Bucks’ offensive system, Connaughton may be able to flesh out that side of his play even further during his stay in Milwaukee.