Pat Connaughton
Pat Connaughton is the Milwaukee Buck made the most expendable by the addition of Gary Trent Jr.
Over the past two seasons, Connaughton simply has not looked like himself. The player who helped the Bucks win the 2021 NBA Title has not shown up, as the 3-point shot has been off, his defensive presence has regressed mightily and he's not the high-flying athlete he once was. It's unclear how much he can help the Bucks in their quest to win another title.
Trent will obviously be above Connaughton in the shooting guard pecking order, but other players like AJ Green and Andre Jackson Jr. also offer more upside at this time. On top of that, they all also make less money than Connaughton, who is scheduled to earn $9.4 million this season. When the Bucks can get better production from players making far less, it poses questions about a trade.
Due to that salary, the Bucks could land a quality player in return for Connaughton. They would have to attach some draft capital to move him, but if a quality player making less than $9.5 million hits the trade market, it could be worth it, especially with the team's limited avenues to improve and other depth pieces at the two-guard spot.
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