No surprise~Connaughton is expected to execute the 9.42 million player option soon, averaging 5.3 points per game & 43 points in the final game

June 8, According to famous reporter Marc Stein, several league sources revealed that the 32-year-old Bucks veteran is expected to implement his $9.42 million player option soon, which is the fifth highest in the 2025-26 season Bucks salary chart.

In 2022, Connaughton and the Bucks had a three-year contract of $28.27 million. The 2025-26 season is a player option. In theory, he has to decide whether to execute the player option before June 25, but this deadline is agreed by him and the Bucks in the contract, and both parties can negotiate to extend it to June 30 (the deadline for whether to execute the player option).

This season's regular season, Connaughton's number of games, playing time, average score, rebounds per game and steals per game hit a new low since joining the Bucks.

In the 2024-25 season, Connaughton played 41 regular season games for the Bucks, averaging 5.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.2 steals and 0.3 blocks in 14.7 minutes per game. Before the final game of the regular season, he averaged only 4.3 points per game this season, while in the final game, he scored 43 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists, setting a career high; in the playoffs, Connaughton made three appearances, averaging 2 points, 0.7 rebounds per game in just 4.7 minutes per game.