As I mentioned in an earlier missive (scroll down), the Bucks originally agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal with Pat Connaughton that included a second-year player option. Only one problem: As an Early Bird Rights player, Connaughton wasn’t eligible to receive a second-year player option on his deal.
As a result, the Bucks (almost certainly) would have had to go back to his agent with hat in hand and request a different arrangement. That’s why a new arrangement for Connaughton was reported later this afternoon. This time they ended up paying twice as much money, to do a three-year deal worth $16 million.
Wait, it gets worse. Despite the error, the Bucks didn’t even need to do the second part. They could have signed Connaughton to the original with their midlevel exception. Yes, they had already agreed to a sign D.J. Augustin to a three-year, $21 million deal with their midlevel exception, but this was also unnecessary.
Augustin’s contract, as it turns out, would have fit snugly into the Jrue Holiday trade with New Orleans as a sign-and-trade if they had either A) started him slightly lower at $6.33 million (for a three-year deal worth $19.5 million or B) included two-way Cam Reynolds in a sign-and-trade back as part of the deal.
