Roughly a week before 2022 NBA free agency is slated to kick off, Pat Connaughton will exercise his $5.7 million player option to remain with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022-23, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton is exercising his $5.7 million option to return for the 2022-2023 season, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 22, 2022
Following Connaughton’s career-best campaign, there was some speculation he might decline that player option and enter the market, presumably receiving a pay raise from Milwaukee or another team in the process. Yet the 29-year-old swingman will stay put with the Bucks, as they look to deliver a second title in three seasons to Milwaukee.
During 2021-22, he averaged career-highs in points (9.9) and steals (0.9) per game, while shooting 39.5 percent beyond the arc on 370 attempts. His 62 percent true shooting was also the second-highest of his career, only trailing 2016-17, when he played 316 minutes for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Connaughton provides a blend of high-volume floor-spacing and heady off-ball movement for and Milwaukee. He’s an impactful offensive rebounder and cutter, and does not let a few misses or a cold streak rattle his confidence as a 3-point shooter. While the Boston Celtics encountered considerable success against him on switches in this year’s second round, he’s generally a sufficient defender in most contexts as well.
Connaughton and the Bucks will look to rekindle their 2021-22 magic next season, when they won the title, with Connaughton playing a significant role.
