Milwaukee Bucks: Trade value power rankings ahead of the deadline
By Robby Cowles
12. Pat Connaughton
Time to talk about everyone’s favorite explosive leaper, Planet Pat.
Pat Connaughton was signed by the Bucks last summer for two years at $3.36 million total, mostly to add depth to the wing and some outside shooting.
About halfway through the season, Connaughton has done pretty much exactly that. Coming off the bench, Connaughton has made the most of his opportunities by bringing high energy to both ends of the court.
Connaughton uses his incredible athleticism for backdoor cuts that lead to dunks, to grab offensive and defensive rebounds, contest and even block outside shots, and more.
Connaughton has been inconsistent with his shooting, he’s hitting just 29 percent of his three-pointers, but that seems more like an anomaly as he hit 35 percent of his threes in 82 games last season. It could be Connaughton just struggling to shoot when not given consistent minutes, which are hard to come by for a deep Bucks bench unit.
If Connaughton can start to hit more outside shots in line with his time with the Trail Blazers, he could be an even more dangerous weapon off the bench.
When it comes to his value, though, Connaughton has always been a bench player, usually the third or fourth guard on a team’s rotation. There’s nothing wrong with that, but there’s only so much a team would give up in a trade for Connaughton.
He’s on a team-friendly deal and is still just 26, so he’s got a lot going for him, but unless he begins to start, or at least consistently become a sixth man off the bench, his value will be little more than an additional piece in a larger trade package.