Milwaukee Bucks swingman Pat Connaughton is finalizing a three-year, $30 million contract extension with the franchise, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The deal takes the Bucks' key shooter and well-regarded leader through the 2025-26 season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 13, 2022
When Patty C opted into his $5.7 million dollar option a few weeks ago, it was a stunner. He could/should easily make $12-15 million on the open market after a career season last year, and how integral he was to the championship run in 2021. Well the thinking at the time was that *MAYBE* he was simply opting in to allow the Bucks leverage to sign other players, and once that gets done he would sign an extension worth more money. That turns out to be true, but he’s STILL signing at way below market value. Not since Ryne Sandberg retired from the Cubs in 1994 and forfeited the $16 million left on his deal because he didn’t feel like he was earning his paycheck have I been this shocked by a pro athlete leaving money the table. That Sandberg story is true, by the way, I read about it on Encarta ’95.
Anyway in addition to the Connaughton news, this was somewhat of a stunner while perusing Twitter last night:
Milwaukee Bucks All-Star forward Khris Middleton underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist in early July and is expected to be fully recovered to return sometime near the start of the regular season, sources told @wojespn and me.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) July 13, 2022
To steal a phrase from one of the great philosophers of our generation: What. We all knew about the knee injury that prevented the Bucks from back to back titles*, but at no point did anyone hear anything about a wrist injury severe enough to require surgery. Was this a pickle ball related injury??
People think pickle ball is a harmless sport, but take it from someone who went to a pickle ball open gym about 4 years ago and got run ragged playing against a guy with a cane, it’s harder than it looks. Rolled ankles, over-flexated wrists, psychological damage, it’s all in play.
Well at least it sounds like he should be ready to go ‘near’ the start of the season which is fine by me. Honestly if they want to hold out Giannis/Jrue/Khris until Thanksgiving it’s probably not a bad idea. No reason to expend energy and risk injury in those early games when you’re a title contender.
*I know this has been a major hypothetical for Bucks fans, and we benefitted from injuries to the Nets in 2021 so no one is crying tears for us, but I feel pretty safe in saying the Bucks at least make the NBA Finals if Khris is healthy. They beat the Celtics, they definitely beat the Heat, I’m not sure what happens against the Warriors but they’re certainly in that matchup. That’s why I don’t understand some fans freaking out about not doing enough this offseason. Yes is sucks to watch other teams in the conference get better (Hawks add Dejounte Murray, Sixers add PJ Tucker, Celtics get Brogdon, etc) but you’ve got to keep in mind, the core the Bucks have locked in won a title together in 2021 and likely make the Finals if healthy in 2022. If Khris were healthy and they don’t make it out of that Celtics series? Okay, then maybe, MAYBE, you consider a more significant move. But Jrue/Giannis/Khris have never lost a playoff series when all three have been healthy. Roll with that until you can’t.
PS: Betting WNBA games or betting NBA Summer League games, which is the sign of a more significant gambling problem? Asking for me.
