5 Bucks Playing Their Final Season in Milwaukee
By Cem Yolbulan
Pat Connaughton
Similar to Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton has long been a key part of the Milwaukee Bucks. He was a major contributor to the 2021 championship team as a three-and-D swingman. Yet, at age 31, he is in decline on both ends of the floor.
Connaughton has one more season on his contract after this one with a player option for 2025-26. He can still play and contribute in a small role, so this is not completely dead money. But he is certainly overpaid, due to make $9.4 million next season.
The Bucks are already heavily impacted by the tax. They are a very expensive team that will pay over $150 million for their core four players next season. This severely limits their ability to add talent to the roster both in trades and free agency.
Paying Connaughton, their seventh man in the rotation over $9 million per year is not good business. They don't have the luxury to make emotional financial choices. Connaughton will likely be a victim of a cost-cutting move for the Bucks in the offseason.