The Milwaukee Bucks have recently extended Gary Trent Jr.’s contract for four years at $64 million, securing his stay with the team through the 2029-2030 season. The decision has puzzled many in the NBA community. Last season, Trent played in 65 games, starting in 21, and posted a career-low average of 8.1 points, 1.2 assists, 1.0 rebounds, and 0.5 steals in 21.2 minutes per game. Additionally, he recorded his worst field goal percentage at 38.7%.
Trent’s performance has seen a steady decline over the past four years. With this contract, he will be earning an average annual value of $16 million, placing him in the same salary range as players like Dennis Schroder, Quentin Grimes, and others who performed better last season. Tim MacMahon from ESPN labeled the contract as unfavorable on a recent episode of ‘The Hoop Collective,’ highlighting Trent’s negative win shares, box plus-minus, and VORP despite receiving essentially a full mid-level exception.
Concerns have surfaced regarding the integrity of the deal, prompting some to suggest an NBA investigation. There are speculations about a possible ‘handshake agreement’ between Trent and the Bucks. MacMahon urged NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to investigate, 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.’
The situation is unfolding amid another NBA investigation concerning Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers. This investigation involves allegations of circumventing the salary cap through a questionable endorsement deal with Aspiration, a company linked to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. The deal allegedly involved Leonard being paid $28 million for minimal effort.
As the investigation into Leonard, the Clippers, and Aspiration continues, the potential involvement of another company in unreported deals with Leonard has emerged. These developments further highlight the scrutiny on Gary Trent Jr.’s contract extension.
Amid these ongoing investigations, the league faces intensified pressure to examine any contracts that appear dubious. The Gary Trent situation has undoubtedly drawn increased attention, especially in a climate where the NBA is actively cracking down on salary cap violations.
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