The Milwaukee Bucks are absolutely making moves, and now they are bringing back Gary Trent Jr. for his third season with the team. Trent Jr. just inked a massive four-year, $64 million deal, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, with a reported $15.2 million coming his way next season. This monster contract is fully guaranteed with no options, a huge commitment from the Bucks, especially coming right after they shook up the entire league by trading Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat for a package that included Tyler Herro. Talk about a new era kicking off in Milwaukee.
Bucks Bet Big on Trent Jr. After Shifting Star Power
This isn't some small potatoes contract either. The Bucks spent the last week "sorting through sign-and-trade possibilities from interested teams" before committing to Trent Jr., per Charania's report. That means they actively chose to bring him back at this price point. The new deal pushes the Bucks' roster to 16 contracts, leaving them with a projected $11 million below the luxury tax threshold, according to CapSheets' Yossi Gozlan. It is a significant chunk of change for a team just offloading an MVP, telling you everything about their plans for building around whoever is left. Trent Jr. originally joined the Bucks in 2024 on a one-year, $2.6 million deal, then signed a two-year, $7.6 million contract last offseason. He then declined a $3.9 million player option just to hit free agency this offseason. That gamble paid off, big time.A Risky Raise After a Down Year
Here is the kicker, and what makes this deal so surprising: Trent Jr., at 27 years old, is getting a huge raise despite having his least productive season since his 2019-20 rookie campaign. Last season, the guard averaged only 8.1 points, one rebound, and 1.2 assists across 65 games and 21 starts. He shot 38.7 percent from the field and just 36 percent from deep while playing 21.2 minutes per night, mostly backing up A.J. Green. The numbers simply don't scream "max contract guy," do they? This is a player who was drafted in the second round in 2018, bounced from the Kings to the Blazers for two and a half seasons, then spent three and a half with the Raptors before landing in Milwaukee in 2024. The Bucks are clearly banking on a huge bounce-back, maybe even a reinvention, from Trent Jr. to justify this kind of investment. What else could it be? The Bucks' roster is now set with this new contract, and it is a wild shift. They just traded their franchise cornerstone, and then immediately handed a massive guaranteed deal to a player coming off a down year. What does this mean for the team's immediate future? It is going to be fascinating to watch what this new-look Bucks squad does on the court next season.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.