Milwaukee Bucks veteran guard Gary Trent Jr. is reportedly signing a four-year, $64 million deal, and the numbers are already making waves across the league. This massive contract comes after Trent Jr. opted to decline a player option on his previous two-year deal, making him a free agent before deciding to return to Milwaukee.
The Big Bucks for Trent Jr.
This isn't Trent Jr.'s first dance with Milwaukee, either. He's spent the last two seasons with the Bucks, first signing a league-minimum deal in the summer of 2024, then a two-year, $7.5 million contract with a player option ahead of last season. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Trent Jr. had interest from several teams and his camp was even looking at potential sign-and-trade deals. But he's back in Milwaukee, partly because the Bucks owned his bird rights from those back-to-back deals. Here's where it gets wild: ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported Trent Jr. will be pulling $15.2 million in his first year. That salary alone projects him to be the fourth-highest-paid player for the Bucks next season. For a player who's likely to be depth, that's a serious chunk of change. This offseason, only seven other free agents snagged bigger contracts, including names like Trae Young, Austin Reaves, and Coby White.A Logjam in the Backcourt
So, what's Trent Jr. bringing to the table for that kind of money? Last season, he played in 65 games for Milwaukee, starting 21 of them. He averaged 8.1 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 21.2 minutes per game, shooting 41% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc. The contract value is pretty surprising considering those stats. This deal also creates a serious logjam in the Bucks' backcourt. They already traded for Tyler Herro and Caris LeVert this offseason. Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. are also back from last season. On top of all that, Milwaukee just selected Brayden Burries with the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft. Sam Vecenie from The Athletic didn't hold back, calling it a "truly nonsensical contract" given Trent Jr.'s recent production. How this massive investment in a "depth" player impacts the Bucks' roster and cap flexibility for the rest of the season is going to be interesting to watch. A lot of eyes are on Milwaukee now, wondering how this move will pan out.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.