3 Bucks who desperately need to raise their stock in training camp
The Milwaukee Bucks have had quite an under-the-radar offseason, with most seemingly forgetting about the quality of the team. Back-to-back first-round playoff exits have changed the perception surrounding the Bucks, but with the limited salary, numerous additions in the offseason have put the roster in a nice place heading into the 2024-25 season.
At the beginning of the offseason, draft pick AJ Johnson caught many by surprise for a team that is looking to contend by taking such a young prospect who is more of a long-term addition. Tyler Smith being taken in the second round received more praise from fans and the NBA world. Sneaky additions of Delon Wright, Taurean Prince and Gary Trent Jr. have addressed many of the Bucks' needs.
Things are looking positive, but these additions leave some players currently on the roster with their stocks lowered and now drastically needing to impress Doc Rivers and the coaching staff in training camp. With the bench unit struggling at times last season, there are many places up for grabs, and Rivers rotated a lot as he looked to find the perfect rotations last year.
That said, here are three Milwaukee Bucks' that drastically need to raise their stock in training camp.
1. Pat Connaughton
Pat Connaughton is one of the first players that comes to mind when discussing their stock, and with him earning around $9.4 million this coming season, he is one of the more likely players that would be moved should the front office choose to make a midseason trade.
Last season, he averaged 5.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists on splits of .435/.345/.759. The addition of Damian Lillard, of course, took shots away from many on the roster and saw their numbers drop, with Connaughton averaging 7.6 points in 2022-23.
The biggest worry regarding him last season was his defense. Now, the Bucks were horrific under Adrian Griffin without the ball, so there is context, but last season, his defensive rating was 117.9.
With the addition of Prince as a wing who will mainly be tasked with playing defense and shooting from the perimeter and, of course, Trent being another strong scoring option in the starting lineup, Connaughton could suddenly find himself seeing a real reduction in minutes or even failing to get on the floor on some nights.
Andre Jackson Jr. and A.J. Green are still young and improving their game as they look to increase their roles. Johnson may not see the floor much, but we don't know if Rivers takes a liking to him. Stanley Umude, on a two-way deal, could be similar to Green by earning a full contract should he impress enough.
The Bucks needed to get younger and athletic, which they addressed in the draft and offseason. Connaughton will be 32 this season and is part of the logjam at shooting guard and small forward.
With many young players growing and looking to fight for their spot in the rotation, this could be a huge training camp for Connaughton, especially with him having a slightly larger contract and potentially being moved mid-season.