Pat Connaughton (SG/SF, MIL): Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14-team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 19% of leagues

ANALYSIS: With Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis injured and expected to be out for a few days (already missed one and two games respectively), the Bucks seem to have moved into a downsized lineup using Giannis at C, Khris Middleton at PF, and Pat Connaughton as the starting SF at least in the team's match against Miami last Thursday. Milwaukee played Patty 69 games last season and although he just started 4 of those and shouldn't be considered a starter more than in spot matches, he was rather productive in his 22 MPG of playing time off the pine.

Pat has played a bulky 30 and 27 minutes already in the first two games of the season. He was absolutely out of his mind in G1 putting up 20 points against Brooklyn on a 61.5% shooting performance attempting 13 field goals from the floor while hitting 4 treys on the day. All of that coming off the bench. Then, starting against Miami on Thursday, Connaughton saw a murderous drop in usage rate (11%) but he could still produce with a final 6-4-4 low-but-stuffed line shooting 50% from the floor (6 FGA).

Starter Pat might not be too appealing because the competition for touches playing along the likes of Giannis, Khris, and Jrue is going to be fierce and leave Pat crying for chances. Reserve Pat, though, is as appealing a WW as they come. You just saw it against Brooklyn: 20-3--2-1-1 line with no turnovers at all--hardly repeatable performance on a nightly basis, sure, but very much the ceiling and upside you can find in Pat. Connaughton, by the way, is the only reserve with no more than 5 GS in each of the past four seasons hitting 33%+ of his attempted triples while attempting 2.5+ per game. There's that for you to enjoy.

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