NBA Scrutiny Over Gary Trent Jr.’s Contract with Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed Gary Trent Jr. to a four-year, $64 million contract extension, securing his place until the 2029-2030 season. Last season, Trent appeared in 65 games, starting 21, yet he averaged career lows: 8.1 points, 1.2 assists, 1.0 rebounds, and 0.5 steals over 21.2 minutes per game. His shooting percentage was 38.7% from the field, which marked a decline over the past four years.

By the end of his contract, Trent will be 31 years old. Many in the NBA community find this deal puzzling. His $16 million annual average value (AAV) aligns him with players like Dennis Schroder, Quentin Grimes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Max Strus, Lu Dort, and Klay Thompson, who performed better in the previous season.

Tim MacMahon of ESPN criticized the contract on Tuesday’s “The Hoop Collective,” highlighting Trent’s negative win shares, box plus-minus, and VORP. Despite these metrics, he received a full mid-level exception. Some are calling for a formal investigation, speculating about a “handshake agreement” between Trent and the Bucks. MacMahon suggested NBA commissioner Adam Silver should probe further, stating, “If I was Adam Silver and I’m some of those head honchos in the league office, I’d sniff around. I’d sniff around a little bit on this one.”

Brian Windhorst commented that ongoing investigations, specifically regarding Kawhi Leonard, might prompt further examination of Trent’s deal. The NBA is already probing Leonard, the Los Angeles Clippers, and Aspiration over salary cap circumvention allegations. Leonard allegedly had a no-show endorsement deal with Aspiration, owned by Clippers’ Steve Ballmer, expected to pay $28 million.

The Clippers and Raptors trade involving Leonard is on hold pending investigation completion. Meanwhile, new reports indicate the NBA is exploring another potential unreported endorsement involving Leonard.

The focus on salary cap compliance draws more attention to Trent’s contract situation. As the NBA scrutinizes the Clippers, there’s increased pressure on the league to investigate any other suspicious deals, including Trent’s.