What to make of Pat Connaughton’s departure from the Milwaukee Bucks
Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski discusses the departure of longtime Milwaukee Bucks staple Pat Connaughton
July 3 marks the fifth anniversary of the Milwaukee Bucks winning the Eastern Conference finals, a 118-107 victory over the Atlanta Hawks that put the Bucks into their first NBA Finals since 1974. Six games and one Herculean performance from superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo later, Milwaukee had its first championship in 50 years.
With the departures of Brook Lopez and Pat Connaughton during the NBA’s free-agency frenzy, the Bucks have only two players still on the roster from that run: Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis, the only player still with the Bucks to appear in that win over the Hawks.
Do you remember all the players on the 2021 championship roster? Here’s a refresher:
Giannis AntetokounmpoAge in 2021: 26How the Bucks acquired him: Drafted 15th overall in 2013Where he is now: Still with the Bucks, despite ESPN’s best efforts
You haven’t forgotten, have you?
Antetokounmpo scored 30-plus points in six of the seven games during an epic Eastern Conference semifinals against Brooklyn, including 40 points in the overtime Game 7. He went down with what looked like a catastrophic knee injury during the Eastern Conference finals against the Hawks, only to resurrect for an unreal Finals performance. He posted 20 points and 17 rebounds in his first game back, then 42 and 12 in the second. Down in the series 0-2, he scored 41 in Game 3, finished two assists shy of a triple-double in Game 4 and authored an unforgettable block to seal the win, then threw down a monumental alley-oop dunk to seal Game 5 in Phoenix. In Game 6, he made 17 of 19 free throws and finished with 50 points. The Finals MVP celebrated with Chick-Fil-A.
Khris MiddletonAge in 2021: 29How the Bucks acquired him: Added in 2013 trade with PistonsWhere he is now: Washington Wizards
His No. 22 jersey will hang in the rafters at Fiserv Forum after an excellent 12-year run, and his work in the 2021 postseason certainly will play on the career highlight-reel.
With Antetokounmpo sidelined by injury, he took the reins against Atlanta, scoring 26 and 32 points in the final two games of the Eastern Conference finals, both wins. He scored 40 points in Game 4 of the Finals against the Suns, one of six career postseason games with the Bucks in which he scored 35 points or more. He averaged 23.6 points per game in his 23 playoff contests, with 5.1 assists and 7.6 rebounds. He also hit a buzzer-beating basket in the first postseason game against Miami, setting the tone for a series sweep. Injuries became a nuisance for Middleton thereafter, though he was a standout during the 2024 playoffs against Indiana with Antetokounmpo once again sidelined. Middleton was traded to the Wizards during the 2024-25 season in a deal that brought Kyle Kuzma to Milwaukee.
Jrue HolidayAge in 2021: 30How the Bucks acquired him: Added in 2020 four-team trade from the PelicansWhere he is now: Portland Trail Blazers
The missing ingredient for the Bucks proved expensive: The team had to surrender two first-round draft picks and offer up pick swaps on two others to make it happen. But Holiday delivered. An outstanding defender (first-team all-defensive team), he also averaged 17.7 points and 6.1 assists per game, catalyzing Milwaukee’s playoff run. His steal and alley-oop to Antetokounmpo during the Game 5 Finals win over Phoenix became one of the most iconic moments in Wisconsin sports history. He averaged 17.3 points in the postseason and stayed two more years, including an All-Star season, before the Bucks traded him to Portland in the deal that brought Damian Lillard to Milwaukee. Portland then sent him to Boston, where he helped the Celtics win another title in 2024. Boston just traded him back to the Blazers.
Brook LopezAge in 2021: 32How the Bucks acquired him: Signed in 2018 as a free agentWhere he is now: Los Angeles Clippers
Lopez reinvented himself prior to signing with the Bucks, transitioning from strictly an inside presence to a center capable of shooting three-pointers (but still maintaining his elite defense). The Bucks used that to great effect, and the all-time leading scorer in Nets history left a new mark with the Bucks. He averaged 13.0 points per game in the postseason with 1.5 blocks and 5.9 rebounds per contest. His career was far from over; he went on to average 19.4 points per game the following year and spent four more seasons in Milwaukee, including a 2022-23 season in which he finished second in the defensive player of the year voting. He just signed with the Los Angeles Clippers this offseason after seven seasons with Milwaukee, one of the most deft free-agent signings in franchise lore.
P.J. TuckerAge in 2021: 35How the Bucks acquired him: Added before the 2021 trade deadline from the RocketsWhere he is now: New York Knicks (for now)
Tucker played a mere 20 regular-season games with the Bucks in his career, seeing more action in the playoffs (23 games), but he’ll be celebrated in Milwaukee forever. A bruising defensive presence, Tucker provided the edge and attitude the team needed at the deadline, even while adding only 4.3 points and 4.8 rebounds in his playoff opportunities. Often tasked with guarding elite opponents, Tucker in some ways became the face of the title run, and Bucks fans were disappointed when Milwaukee elected not to bring back Tucker the following season. He’s been with multiple teams since, and the Knicks are reportedly going to decline his option for next season.
Bobby PortisAge in 2021: 25How the Bucks acquired him: Signed in 2020 as a free agentWhere he is now: Still with the Bucks on a new three-year deal
“Bob-by! Bob-by!” With an underdog mentality and workmanlike approach, Portis became a popular player immediately among Bucks fans, coming off the bench to provide a spark. He averaged 8.8 points and 5.0 rebounds during the postseason, a necessary backup center for Lopez who also shot 47% from three-point range during the regular season. Five years later, he’s still a fan fave in the Cream City, and he’s now under contract for the next three seasons.
Pat ConnaughtonAge in 2021: 28How the Bucks acquired him: Signed in 2018 as a free agentWhere he is now: Charlotte Hornets
Like Portis and Lopez, Connaughton proved to be a shrewd free-agent signing who paid off in far greater ways than the team could have imagined. After three seasons in Portland, Connaughton saw his playing time increase dramatically in Milwaukee, where he came off the bench and shot well (37% in 2021 from three-point range) and proved to be an excellent rebounding guard (4.8 boards per game that season). He saw action in all 23 playoff games and remained with the Bucks through last season, becoming a popular fixture for fans who also got involved in Milwaukee real estate. He was just traded to Charlotte.
Bryn ForbesAge in 2021: 27How the Bucks acquired him: Signed in 2020 as a free agentWhere he is now: Out of pro basketball
Forbes averaged 10 points per game in his one season with the Bucks, appearing in 70 games and starting 10, with a career-best 45% mark from three-point range. He chipped in with 6.6 points in 20 playoff games, playing 14 minutes per contest. Forbes signed a free-agent deal with San Antonio after the title season and last saw action in the NBA in 2023 with Minnesota. He was arrested in 2024 on a felony charge of assault (strangulation of a family member).
Donte DiVincenzoAge in 2021: 24How the Bucks acquired him: Drafted 17th overall in 2018Where he is now: Minnesota Timberwolves
DiVincenzo played only three playoff games, but he certainly would have played more had he not suffered a foot injury against Miami in the opening round. One of the few homegrown draft picks on the roster, DiVincenzo had averaged 13.7 points per game in his third season, with 7.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, and he started all 66 regular-season games in which he appeared. He remained with the team the next year but was dealt in February 2022 to the Kings in an ill-fated deal that brought Serge Ibaka to the Bucks. He has since gone on playoff runs with the Warriors, Knicks and Timberwolves, winning at least one playoff series each year.
Jeff TeagueAge in 2021: 32How the Bucks acquired him: Signed in April 2021 as a free agentWhere he is now: Out of pro basketball
After getting waived by the Magic, Teague reunited with his former head coach Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee and became a sneaky veteran addition in the final year of his NBA career. Teague played sparingly in the postseason but appeared in 16 games as a backup point guard, including an 11-point effort in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against his former team, the Hawks, that helped the Bucks clinch the series. He later became a scout for the Hawks and now coaches high school basketball at his alma mater.
Thanasis AntetokounmpoAge in 2021: 28How the Bucks acquired him: Signed in 2019 as a free agentWhere he is now: Doesn’t have a team at the moment, but he does have a podcast
The older brother of Giannis and the energy-generating bench option played in 13 playoff games and saw 3.5 minutes of action per contest, but his presence was more than just numbers, allowing the team’s star to be surrounded by family and generating his own following with his effusive personality. After a major injury took him out of play for 2024-25, he’s again a free agent. His Thanalysis podcast often welcomes many high-profile guests in the Wisconsin sports realm.
Elijah BryantAge in 2021: 25How the Bucks acquired him: Signed in May 2021 as a free agentWhere he is now: Playing overseas
A college player at Elon and BYU, Bryant was signed out of an Israeli league in the final week of the regular season, then scored 16 points against the Bulls in his one and only NBA regular-season game. But he also appeared in 11 playoff games, even while playing a grand total of 50 minutes and averaging 1.3 points. After that, Bryant returned overseas, playing in Turkey through the 2024-25 season.
Sam MerrillAge in 2021: 24How the Bucks acquired him: Acquired draft rights in 2020Where he is now: Cleveland Cavaliers
The Bucks landed the rights to their own second-round pick in 2020, re-acquiring the asset after a 2019 trade that sent Thon Maker to the Pistons and brought Nikola Mirotić to the Bucks. As part of the deal to get Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee got the pick back. Drafted out of BYU, Merrill saw action in 30 games that year, shooting an impressive 44.7% from three in limited work. He saw the floor in eight playoff games and was traded to Memphis in the deal that brought Grayson Allen to the Bucks. Merrill has enjoyed recent success in the past three years in Cleveland and the career 38.6% three-point shooter just signed a four-year deal worth $38 million to remain with the Cavs.
Mamadi DiakiteAge in 2021: 24How the Bucks acquired him: Signed on two-way contract in 2020Where he is now: G-League
The rookie out of Virginia played in just 14 regular-season games for the Bucks, but he impressed enough to have his contract converted to a two-year deal in April. The power forward saw the floor in seven playoff games; he was waived by the Bucks before the 2021 season and caught on with Oklahoma City. He last saw brief NBA action in 2023-24 with the Spurs and Knicks.
Jordan NworaAge in 2021: 22How the Bucks acquired him: Drafted with 45th overall pick in 2020Where he is now: Playing overseas
Drafted out of Louisville, Nwora spent two-plus years with the Bucks, and though he only saw the floor sparingly in his rookie season (5.7 points, 9.1 minutes per game), he saw an uptick thereafter. The Bucks traded him in a four-team deal with George Hill and Serge Ibaka that brought Jae Crowder to Milwaukee. Nwora saw the floor in five playoff games and scored 15 total points in the playoff run. He played with Indiana and Toronto in 2023-24 and then in Turkey.
Justin JacksonAge in 2021: 25How the Bucks acquired him: Signed in April 2021 on a two-way contractWhere he is now: Out of pro basketball
The Bucks added Jackson on a two-way deal late in the season and he appeared in a single regular-season game. He saw action in five playoff games and scored six points overall, then signed elsewhere in the postseason and bounced around until his last NBA appearance in 2023-24. He did finish with 280 NBA games under his belt, mostly played in Dallas and Sacramento before arriving with the Bucks.
Axel ToupaneAge in 2021: 28How the Bucks acquired him: Signed in March 2021 on two-way contractWhere he is now: Playing overseas
The native of France appeared in eight regular-season games and then four playoff games, scoring five points in the postseason. They were his last days in the NBA; he went on to play in the G-League, France, Lebanon and now Taiwan.
Did not appear in 2021 postseason for Bucks, but played during 2020-21 seasonD.J. Augustin. The 33-year-old point guard played in 37 games for the Bucks after the team signed him in the preceding offseason. He struggled, below his career averages in shooting and scoring, and was packaged in a deal to Houston for P.J. Tucker before the trade deadline.Torrey Craig. Interestingly enough, the Bucks wound up facing Craig in the NBA Finals, since he’d by then become a member of the Suns. Signed before the season as a free agent, the defensive stopper was traded in March to the Suns for cash. Unable to get meaningful rotation minutes, he played only 18 games for the Bucks; he played in 22 playoff games alone for the Suns and averaged 4.0 points per game in the postseason.D.J. Wilson. The Bucks made Wilson the 17th overall pick in 2017, and despite flashes, he never developed into a starter. Milwaukee sent him to Houston midseason in the deal that brought back P.J. Tucker. They literally traded two DJs for a PJ.Rodions Kurucs. He came back to the Bucks from the Rockets in the same deal that brought Tucker over, but he played only five games for Milwaukee before the team waived him.Jaylen Adams. The point guard was on a two-way contract signed in November 2020, but he was waived in March. He played in seven games with the Bucks and hasn’t appeared in the NBA since.
Mike Budenholzer, head coach. Budenholzer never missed the playoffs in five seasons at the helm, going 271-120 in the regular season. He later became coach of the Suns in 2024-25 but was fired from that post after one season.
Assistant coaches Vin Baker, Chad Forcier, Darvin Ham, Ben Sullivan, Charles Lee, Pat St. Andrews, trainer Scott Faust. Ham became coach of the Los Angeles Lakers for two seasons and is now back in Milwaukee as an assistant. Lee will enter his second year as head coach of Charlotte in 2025-26.