Pat Connaughton ready to begin his NBA career in Portland

Pat Connaughton, former guard for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, was selected in the 2nd round of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets and later acquired by the Portland Trail Blazers via trade.

The trade, which sent Connaughton and Mason Plumlee to the Trail Blazers in exchange for Portland’s 1st round draft pick Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and veteran Steve Blake, was one of the major headlines from this year’s draft.

Though he was taken in the 2nd round, Connaughton is expected to come into Portland and make an immediate impact, contributing to the team with his strong shooting and work ethic, providing he finds a spot in rotation. In his senior year at Notre Dame, he averaged 12.5 points per game, chipping in a respectable 7.4 rebounds per game. He played a big role in the Irish’s elite 8 run in the NCAA tournament, knocking down a lot of big shots and playing his heart out on both ends of the floor.

The 6’5”, 215 lb shooting guard stayed all four years in college, gaining valuable experience along the way. His junior year was his best statistical year with the team, averaging 13.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

One of the more unique facts about Connaughton is that he is actually a phenomenal baseball player. A starting pitcher his whole life, Connaughton was selected in the 4th round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft by the Baltimore Orioles. He even received the rights to a $428,000 signing bonus upon being drafted if he decided to sign with the team. However, after finishing his senior year at Notre Dame strong, and displaying his athleticism at the NBA draft combine (44-inch max vertical and 37.5-inch standing vertical), his draft stock rose considerably. Many now expect him to choose basketball over baseball, and if the Orioles decide to recoup his signing bonus, they will lose the rights to him as he starts his NBA career.

The Trail Blazers expect Connaughton to come in and provide some much needed depth off the bench. That being said, with Wesley Matthews being unrestricted, and Arron Afflalo determined to test the free agency market, there is a sense of uncertainty regarding the amount of wing players the team will be able to retain. If the team is unable to re-sign Matthews or Afflalo, Connaughton might be forced into a much bigger role come the start of the season.

Mar 28, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard/forward Pat Connaughton (24) shoots over Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) during the first half in the finals of the midwest regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

The main strengths of Connaughton’s game play right into Portland’s game plan as a team. Connaughton is a knock down shooter with the ability to come off screens or simply catch and shoot off penetration. Portland’s 3-point field goal percentage ranked in the top-10 last season, as did their attempts and makes, so the team could always use another dead-eye shooter to spread the court and knock down shots. This coveted specialty of his should prove to be effective in playing with guards Lillard and McCollum, who excel at penetrating and finding open shooters.

In addition, Connaughton has proven to be a terrific athlete who understands the game very well. At the combine, he impressed scouts all throughout the NBA with his vertical jumping as well as speed and agility in drills. He does not possess elite speed or quickness, but has enough to be able to get by opposing defenders at times and defend the opposition. His hard-nosed, physical play as a guard allows him to bring down a lot of rebounds and compete hard defensively, which can often times be taken for granted at his position.

A few of Connaughton’s weaknesses coming into the NBA are seen with many rookies around the league. He needs to become a better overall defender, which will come with experience and practice against fellow Trail Blazer teammates. Also, learning to create his own shot off the dribble more efficiently would greatly benefit his game down the road. This would give Portland a guy off the bench that can come in and provide scoring for them at times when they are struggling to put the ball in the basket.

I think Connaughton will fit in perfectly with the Trail Blazers. As long as he plays hard and up to his potential in the summer league coming up, he should have no problem making the team and earning himself a contract. The amount of time he will get throughout the season heavily depends on what Portland does in free agency and whether or not they are able to bring back Matthews and/or Afflalo. Regardless, Connaughton will be ready to show what he’s got when his number is called.

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