Milwaukee Bucks swingman Pat Connaughton is finalizing a three-year, $30 million contract extension to stay with the franchise, sources confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday. Connaughton will remain with the franchise until the 2025-26 season.
Connaughton, 29, averaged 9.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game in 2021-22. He will be playing his fifth season next year with the Bucks after joining the franchise from the Portland Trail Blazers in 2018-19. Connaughton was a critical piece of the Bucks' roster during their NBA championship run in 2021, when he shot 44.1 percent from 3-point range during the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns.
The Bucks (51-31) finished third in the Eastern Conference. They lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs in seven games.
(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)
Is this deal worth it?
Eric Nehm, Bucks beat writer: Connaughton put together the best season of his career last year. In his seventh NBA season, Connaughton posted career highs in minutes (26.0) and points (9.9) per game, while also hitting 39.5 percent from deep on a career-high 5.7 3-point attempts per game.
After the season, Connaughton decided to opt into a player option worth $5.7 million for the 2022-23 season. Add that to the three-year, $30 million extension that connects him to the franchise through the 2025-26 season and you arrive at a figure near the mid-level exception for this past summer, while giving the Bucks significant savings with the luxury tax in the 2022-23 season. He is a playoff-proven contributor on the wing that has shown some positional versatility. That is worth the full mid-level exception.
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Significance of Connaughton on this roster
Nehm: When Khris Middleton went down in the second round of the playoffs, it was clear the Bucks did not have enough wings. Connaughton, however, was one of the few that could capably defend, rebound and contribute on the offensive end. When the Bucks won the team's first championship in 50 seasons last year, Connaughton was one of the core players that could stay on the court in the most difficult series and moments.
That type of production will always be valued around the league and it is especially important in Milwaukee as the Bucks need players with size and shooting skill around Antetokounmpo.
Do the Bucks have enough wings heading into next season?
Nehm: After clearly not having enough contributors on the wing last season, the Bucks should be in a much better spot heading into the 2022-23 postseason. They added a big wing (6-foot-6, 7-foot wingspan) in the draft by picking MarJon Beauchamp with the No. 24 overall pick and another big wing in free agency with Joe Ingles (6-foot-8, 220 pounds), who may miss the start of next season. Those two should help solidify a unit that includes Grayson Allen, Wesley Matthews, Khris Middleton and, of course, Connaughton.
Connaughton should still serve a major role next season, but the offseason additions make the Bucks much more complete at the position and should give them a chance to compete with the big wings throughout the Eastern Conference.
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