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Milwaukee Bucks: Regrading the Pat Connaughton signing in 2018

By Bradshaw Furlong

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 15: Pat Connaughton of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots a three point shot in the first half against the Brooklyn Nets during game 5 of the Eastern Conference second round at Barclays Center on June 15, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 15: Pat Connaughton of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots a three point shot in the first half against the Brooklyn Nets during game 5 of the Eastern Conference second round at Barclays Center on June 15, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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Milwaukee Bucks: Pat Connaughton, LA Clippers: Kawhi Leonard
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – FEBRUARY 28: (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

The on-court fit for Pat Connaughton after his initial signing in 2018 with the Milwaukee Bucks

Despite being one of the leaders in bench minutes for the Bucks, Connaughton is not your traditional sixth-man, first-guy-off-the-bench type of player. He does a little bit of everything pretty well, while not having one specific thing he does better than anyone. He’s a versatile player that can fit into different lineup combinations and roles within those lineups. He is not without his weaknesses too.

In his first two years with the Bucks, prior to signing his extension, in 128 games, Connaughton posted 6.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 19.6 minutes per game. He shot 33.1 percent from three (2.9 attempts per game) and a 56.9 true shooting percentage, which is above league average. His 3-point shooting actually went up in the playoffs, shooting 35.4 percent on 2.6 attempts per game in 25 playoff contests. Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but Connaughton’s production was certainly more than worth the money.

Diving a little deeper into his numbers, Connaughton posted an offensive rebounding rate of 5.2 percent in his first two seasons as a Buck, which is incredibly high for a player that is 6’5″ and 209 pounds. His offensive rebounding rate in 2018-19 (5.2 percent) was similar to players much bigger than him in Jonathan Isaac, Aaron Gordon, and Myles Turner, according to Basketball Reference. Per 36 minutes, Connaughton averaged 1.7 offensive rebounds and 7.8 total rebounds in those first two seasons with the team.

Speaking to his ability to fit in multiple lineups and play different roles, Connaughton in lineups with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton had a +14.5 net rating over 256 possessions in 2019-20, per Cleaning the Glass. In 2018-19, those lineups were +26.6 over 439 possessions.

Connaughton is the perfect role player for a championship-contending team in those years, specifically because of his price. He wasn’t much of a shooter, but he could finish around the basket, rebound the ball, and fit with the team’s star players.

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