Milwaukee Traded Patterson's Draft Rights for a Future Second
The Bucks used No. 48 in the 2014 draft on Lamar Patterson but moved his rights to Atlanta in return for a 2015 second-round selection. Milwaukee preferred future flexibility instead of holding Patterson's rights while deciding whether to bring him over. Atlanta took a developmental wing with college scoring and passing skills, betting that a low second-round choice could become a usable reserve. The recorded trade date follows the draft-night rights activity, and the precise player and pick directions matter because the 2015 selection did not remain in Milwaukee's possession indefinitely.
Patterson Eventually Played Thirty-Five Hawks Games
Patterson appeared in 35 regular-season games for Atlanta in 2015-16, averaging 2.4 points in a small role, and also saw brief playoff action. The Hawks therefore obtained an actual player from the rights they acquired, although he never became the kind of durable wing who could reshape the rotation. His Atlanta contribution took time to arrive, reflecting the gap between acquiring rights and using the player on an NBA roster. Thirty-five games were real value from a late second-round swing, but the minutes and production don't support treating the pick as a major talent discovery.
Milwaukee Used the Future Pick in a Different Deal
The Bucks traded their incoming 2015 second-round pick onward with another selection in the transaction that brought Jason Kidd to Milwaukee as head coach. The pick eventually became No. 41 in 2015, associated with Pat Connaughton, but it would be misleading to claim this 2014 Hawks exchange directly supplied Connaughton as a Bucks player. His eventual return to Milwaukee came through a later free-agent signing. The draft right's role as part of a subsequent coaching transaction is the actual utility Milwaukee obtained from this original deal. Pick provenance matters more here than a later name in the ledger.
The Verdict Depends on Asset Use, Not Retroactive Player Credit
Milwaukee's grade recognizes that the future second became movable draft inventory in an important organizational transaction. Atlanta secured a reserve with modest NBA appearances, not a lasting starter. Neither side should receive an invented multi-season Connaughton playing return from the 2014 rights swap; those later events involved other transactions and contractual decisions. The Bucks' decision to move Patterson's rights offered them flexibility as they assembled a new coaching and roster plan. Atlanta got a usable but limited prospect, supporting a measured rather than definitive victory analysis.
Final Verdict
Bucks Win. Milwaukee earns A for the 2015 second-round asset it subsequently used in a separate transaction associated with hiring Jason Kidd; Atlanta receives C- for Lamar Patterson's 35 regular-season games and limited development as a Hawks reserve. The 2015 pick later carried Pat Connaughton's draft identity, but his eventual Bucks career began through free agency and must not be attributed directly to this rights trade.