Portland Trail Blazers: Taking a $1.47 million chance on Pat Connaughton
The Portland Trail Blazers chose to retain guard Pat Connaughton for another season. What does that mean for him and the team?
Aug. 31 was Decision Day for two Portland Trail Blazers. Both experienced opposite outcomes. Andrew Nicholson, a player that arrived via the Allen Crabbe trade five weeks ago, was waived while he plays for Canada in the FIBA Americup.
Meanwhile, the team chose not to waive shooting guard Pat Connaughton. The team informed him Thursday morning that they will guarantee the final season of his three-year contract.
Originally, the Blazers had until July 25 to determine if they wanted to keep Connaughton. However, on July 24, the team deferred their decision until Aug. 31. Now that the Blazers have made their choice, Connaughton will be owed $1.47 million in 2017-18.
Connaughton was drafted in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets. However, he was traded that night to the Blazers along with Mason Plumlee. In return, Portland dealt Steve Blake and the rights to first round pick Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
In 73 games over two seasons, Connaughton has averaged 1.8 points and 1.2 rebounds in 6.3 minutes per game. His sophomore campaign actually helped to raise those averages. In 2016-17, Connaughton averaged 2.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in 39 appearances.
Due to the looming contract decision, this summer was particularly pivotal for Connaughton. However, he struggled mightily at the 2017 NBA Summer League. Connaughton came away averaging 6.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.7 turnovers per game. He also shot 36.4 percent from the field and 20.0 percent on 3-pointers.
His summer was cut short three games in when he went down with a left hamstring strain. His injury and bad play presumably sealed his fate. However, recent events have proved otherwise.
For much of this year, it seemed like cutting Connaughton loose was the reasonable thing to do. He showed flashes of a productive player in the little court time he received. However, Crabbe and Evan Turner crowded him out of backup shooting guard minutes.
It also wasn’t a secret that MLB’s Baltimore Orioles were interested in having him return to baseball. The team drafted Connaughton as a pitcher in the fourth round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He played six games that summer for the Aberdeen Ironbirds, the Orioles’ Class A-Short Season team. Following the season, he returned to Notre Dame to play his senior year of basketball.
With his contract in the air, it was easy to consider that Connaughton wouldn’t just leave the Blazers, but the sport of basketball altogether. But the Crabbe trade and his contract guarantee changes things. He now has a bigger opportunity to show what he has to offer as a professional hooper.
Heading into training camp, Evan Turner will likely be the second team’s 2-guard. But it wouldn’t be surprising if Connaughton takes advantage of the additional minutes and carves out a bigger role as the season progresses.
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Pat Connaughton has been slowly developing at the end of the bench for the past two seasons. With the last year of his contract guaranteed and more minutes for the taking, he now has a chance to show he was worth the wait.