Veteran stalwart is becoming unplayable for the Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks' horrific start has left the franchise loaded with questions. Head coach Doc Rivers is altering his lineups and finally giving some of his young talents a chance. The Bucks’ veterans have struggled to hit shots and their defense is no longer elite. It has left Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard doing it all.

Gary Trent Jr. played less than eight minutes in Thursday’s win over the Jazz and missed Friday's loss after starting the first seven games, but it has not completely solved the Bucks’ issues on the wing. They struggle against any dynamic guards and need to make additional changes. Longtime reserve guard Pat Connaughton has been one of the many issues.

His playing time is down with his production. Things have been problematic, and it is fair to question if Connaughton should remain in the rotation moving forward.

Pat Connaughton is becoming unplayable for the Bucks

Connaughton is in his seventh season in Milwaukee and tenth in the NBA. Fans know his game well. The 6’5 wing was long known for his defense and athleticism, but things have slowly gone downhill for the 31-year-old. He played a key role in the Bucks’ 2021 championship. Those contributions will never be forgotten, but his shooting woes and declining defense are not helping the current roster.

Connaughton averaged 3.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 16.8 minutes per game through their first nine contests. He shot 32.4 percent from the field and 25.0 percent on his 3-point attempts. All those numbers would be his lowest since arriving in Milwaukee, except for the assists.

Beyond the counting stats, Connaughton has produced a negative value over replacement player (VORP) and 0.015 win shares per 48 minutes with 0.100 being the league average. Four Bucks have produced worse VORPs, which underlines the team’s issues with depth this season.

Milwaukee’s failure to develop talent is coming back to haunt them. Pat Connaughton would likely be removed from the rotation if the Bucks had another option. Their young talent has not blossomed and it will continue to hurt the franchise.

The pressure is on. The Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors are already coming out (subscription required), and the Bucks must make changes if they want to avoid another disappointment. There is no arguing that.

To right the ship, Milwaukee needs increased production from their role players. If that means benching Pat Connaughton for more A.J. Green and Andre Jackson Jr. minutes, Doc Rivers should make it happen. The Bucks need to win to keep the Greek Freak and that only happens with the right personnel on the floor.

It is time for Doc to consider benching Pat Connaughton and empowering the young players even more. The decision is not easy, but the Milwaukee Bucks have several tough calls to make if they want to get back on track.