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A Detroit Pistons rival found out that one of their guards plans to make a return for the 2025-2026 NBA season. The Milwaukee Bucks have the veteran Pat Connaughton back for the year.
On Saturday, Connaughton decided to pick up his player option. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Connaughton is now slated to make $9.4 million during the upcoming season.
The Bucks will surely need help in the backcourt, since their most notable guard, Damian Lillard, suffered a major injury, which could keep him off the court for most, if not all, of the 2025-2026 NBA season.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton has exercised his $9.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/3zfBw44WnV
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 21, 2025
Connaughton has been with the Bucks since 2018-2019. After a three-year run with the Portland Trail Blazers, Connaughton signed with the Bucks in free agency. He appeared in 61 games during his first run with the Bucks. As a reserve, Connaughton averaged seven points while knocking down 33 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.
At this point, Connaughton has seven seasons under his belt with the Bucks. He’s appeared in nearly 450 games. The veteran guard has averaged seven points per outing, hitting on 36 percent of his threes and 44 percent of his shots from the field.
Being that the 32-year-old is entering a contract year, Connaughton could be viewed as a potential trade piece if the Bucks begin to make a handful of re-tooling moves during what could be a gap year.
Beyond Connaughton, the Bucks have the top player to keep an eye on this summer, as Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future was in question for a moment. After Milwaukee dropped out of the first round during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, Antetokounmpo was gaining steam as a potential trade candidate.
At this point, the Bucks are expected to keep the Greek Freak. However, the Pistons will be keeping a close eye on the situation out in Milwaukee, as their rival could face some major decisions to make, depending on how the 2025-2026 NBA season plays out.
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