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Blazers 2016-17 Season Review: Pat Connaughton

By Isaiah De los Santos

Feb 13, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Pat Connaughton (5) reacts after making a three point basket in front of Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Dunleavy (34) during the first quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Pat Connaughton (5) reacts after making a three point basket in front of Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Dunleavy (34) during the first quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 13, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Pat Connaughton (5) drives to the basket on Oklahoma City Thunder forward Nick Collison (4) during the fourth quarter of the game at Moda Center. The Blazers won the game 114-95. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Pat Connaughton (5) drives to the basket on Oklahoma City Thunder forward Nick Collison (4) during the fourth quarter of the game at Moda Center. The Blazers won the game 114-95. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /

Coming off a meager rookie season, Connaughton looked to step up. But in a crowded Portland rotation, the guard got left behind.

The one thing you notice about Pat Connaughton when watching a Blazers game isn’t what he does on the court, but on the bench. The celebrations the guard unleashes after one his teammates does anything remotely good.

Three-pointer? Celebrate. Block? Celebrate. Dunk? Celebrate.

You’ll see Pat up and moving some part of his body every time one of those happens. Sometimes, he gets fellow bench mate Shabazz Napier into the mix, too.

Related Story: Pat Connaughton and His Arsenal of Celebrations

Yet, that seems to be the only real thing Connaughton contributes to the Blazers right now.

He had averages of 2.5 PPG, 0.7 APG and 1.3 RPG this season.

I think of Connaughton as a three-point marksman off the bench, and his 51.5% three-point percentage speaks to that. But, that comes off a meager 0.8 three-point attempts per game.

To put that in perspective, Connaughton played 143 minutes last season, and attempted 21 threes. This season, he played 316 minutes, yet only attempted 33 threes.

In his senior year at Notre Dame, the guard took 220 three-pointers; although his senior year he was playing 36+ minutes per game, his shooter mentality should at least translate to more than 33 attempts now in the NBA.

If he isn’t shooting threes, what is he doing on the court?

He has only attempted 14 free throws in his two years in the league. He took more two-pointers this season (39) than threes (33), and made more (20 twos vs. 17 threes).

Feb 13, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Pat Connaughton (5) shoots a three point basket over Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Dunleavy (34) during the first quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Pat Connaughton (5) shoots a three point basket over Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Dunleavy (34) during the first quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /

Maybe this is too critical of a guard only his second season. In elevated playing time against the Pelicans and Spurs, he had 19 and 15 points, respectively. (This also came on three-point shooting performances of 5-of-10 and 3-of-4, respectively.)

2017-18 is a major year for Connaughton as his deal is un-guaranteed. With the luxury tax looming, cutting bait on the guard’s approximately $1.47 million contract is in play.

Likewise, three draft picks incoming for the Blazers presents three opportunities to replace Connaughton. Duke’s Luke Kennard has been linked to Portland, and presents an improvement on the mold Connaughton fits.

The guard may be one of the victims of Portland’s spending spree last offseason, and he doesn’t have a good sample of work to make it justified keeping him.

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