Pat Connaughton

2019-20 saw Connaughton in a similar role as he'd occupied the two prior seasons -- one with Milwaukee and one with Portland. He averaged 18.6 minutes of run, 5.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Heading into 2020-21, the Bucks opted to keep Connaughton, giving him a three-year, $16 million contract. The high-flying wing figures to see a similar role in Milwaukee this season, though he'll have to compete for minutes with Bryn Forbes, Torrey Craig and Donte DiVincenzo. Ultimately, Connaughton's role probably won't be big enough to warrant rostering him in the vast majority of fantasy leagues.

In his first season with the Bucks, Connaughton contributed career-high averages in points (6.9), rebounds (4.2), assists (2.0), threes (1.1), steals (0.5), blocks (0.4) and minutes (20.7). Perhaps most impressively, Connaughton had the same turnover average (0.5) in 2017-18, so he nearly doubled his assist average this past season, from 1.1 to 2.0, while limiting mistakes. The offseason departure of Malcolm Brogdon figures to open up more playing time for Connaughton, which is precisely what happened when Brogdon went down with a foot injury in mid-March. In fact, in 24 games after the All-Star break, Connaughton raised his averages to 8.6 points (50.0 FG%, 38.2 3P%, 77.8 FT%), 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists versus 0.6 turnovers, 1.4 threes, 0.7 steals and 0.4 blocks in 26.5 minutes per game. There's no guarantee he'll be able to maintain that level of efficiency or production over the course of 2019-20. Still, his ability to stretch the floor as a shooter and make sound decisions with the ball bodes well for his role going forward.

Connaughton saw his role dramatically increase last season -- his third year in the association. During his rookie and sophomore campaigns, he averaged minutes in the single-digits. In 2017-18, he was handed 18.1 minutes per night. While not a volume scorer by any means (5.4 PPG), the Notre Dame product has been a solid source of threes, going 91-of-243 (37.4 percent) over the past two campaigns. Connaughton also stepped up when given the opportunity, averaging 9.0 points 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 minutes across 23.7 minutes in five starts, also shooting 56.3 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from three in those tilts. The fourth-year man, who essentially split minutes between shooting guard and small forward last season, will be joining a relatively crowded wing rotation in Milwaukee. However, he should have the opportunity to fight for run between Tony Snell, Sterling Brown and Donte DiVincenzo.

Over the course of his four-year career at Notre Dame, Connaughton developed a reliable three-point shot, knocking down 2.4 treys per game as both a junior and senior. In addition to leading the nation in total spot-up points last season en route to 1.253 points per possession in those situations, the 6-foot-5, 218-pound wing was forced to man power forward due to the guard-heavy nature of the Fighting Irish roster. Responding with a career-best 7.4 rebounds per game and 36 blocks in 38 contests, he validated his athleticism with a 39-inch vertical leap at the NBA Combine in May. During this year's draft, his rights were acquired by the Blazers along with Mason Plumlee in exchange for Steve Blake and upcoming rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Connaughton's future in the league was in question due to his status as an MLB prospect in the Orioles' organization, but he came to terms on a three-year deal, with the first two guaranteed, ensuring his experiment with professional hoops proceeds as planned. If he can wring out a role at some point, his skill set suggests that he could fill some of the long-distance shooting lost with the departure of Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum.