Pat Connaughton
The 31-year-old is earning $9.5 million per season. That’s not a crazy number until you compare it relative to his teammates; Pat Connaughton is the sixth highest-paid player on the squad. Is “Planet Pat” the sixth-best player on this roster? Maybe, but probably not after a few years of decline.
His deal expires after the 2025-26 season if he accepts his player option next year, so the Bucks are tied to him currently.
Again, NBA salaries can be compared to other players. When Alperen Sengun and Franz Wagner make less than you, that certainly stands out.
Can Pat Connaughton be a key piece for the Milwaukee Bucks in a future championship run? Of course, he could! But what this team and this franchise need to figure out is how they can get the most production from him by the end of the year.
Again, looking ahead to the 2024-2025 season, some early predictions have come out on Connaughton's numbers. It appears that for him, 10 points and five rebounds per game would be decent production. Also, just like Khris Middleton, if the Bucks are able to get 70-plus games out of Pat Connaughton, that would be a huge victory for the franchise.