Generally speaking, the Milwaukee Bucks‘ offseason moves are viewed as beneficial for the squad for the upcoming season. This might not be the case, however, for every member of the team moving forward.
One man who might find himself on the outside looking in is veteran swingman Pat Connaughton.
Is There Enough Room for Pat Connaughton in Milwaukee Bucks Rotation?
Connaughton is entering his seventh season with the Bucks in 2024-25. He has endeared himself as a favorite among the Bucks faithful. However, this might not be enough to guarantee extended minutes for the 31-year-old guard/forward this coming season.
Rudy LB of Behind the Bucks Pass recently did a deep dive into Connaughton’s potential role for Milwaukee moving forward in light of the free-agency arrival of Gary Trent Jr. Things aren’t looking up for Connaughton.
“The signing of Gary Trent Jr., who is arguably more athletic than Connaughton, does not help with the idea that Connaughton could earn increased minutes this coming season. Something that is not arguable is that Trent is younger. That is going to be something that is going to be critical for a successful season. Youth coded as athleticism will be key for the Bucks,” LB wrote.
Over the past three seasons, Connaughton has seen his minutes dip consistently. Last year, the 6-foot-5 wing averaged 22.1 minutes per contest while also knocking down 1.1 triples per game. Both his playing time and production from beyond the arc were his lowest since 2021-22.
“If the Bucks can get great shooting from [Damian Lillard], Trent, and AJ Green, it would be easy to think that these offseason moves do not bode well for Connaughton’s future in Milwaukee,” LB surmised.
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