What’s different about Giannis Antetokounmpo situation this offseason?
What’s different about the Giannis Antetokounmpo situation this offseason? Jim Owczarski discusses next moves for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Milwaukee Bucks wing Pat Connaughton formally picked up his player option for the 2025-26 season worth $9.4 million on June 21, three days before the deadline to do so.
It is the final year of a 3-year, $28.5 million extension he signed in the summer of 2022. He picked up a player option in advance of that extension.
The move, which the Journal Sentinel confirmed, requires formal paperwork sent to the league and allows the Bucks to trade Connaughton at any point going forward. League sources told the Journal Sentinel there was interest in the 32-year-old wing at the trade deadline.
Originally signed in 2018, Connaughton has been a staple off the Bucks bench and was a key contributor to the 2021 championship season. Last year, however, his role was reduced under head coach Doc Rivers. Connaughton played his fewest games (41), fewest minutes per game (14.7) and made his fewest three-point attempts (32.1%) since 2016-17.