Assessing The Athletic’s Gary Trent Jr. trade for the Milwaukee Bucks

TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 04 (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 04 (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Milwaukee Bucks: Grayson Allen, Toronto Raptors: Gary Trent Jr.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 17 (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The 2023 NBA trade deadline is just a few weeks away, and the Milwaukee Bucks are shaping up to be one of the more active teams in the market.

They have been linked to numerous names via trade over the past few months, are it would not be a surprise if more rumors surfaced soon. One notable name that fans have been keeping an eye on is Gary Trent Jr. of the Toronto Raptors. HoopsHype NBA insider Michael Scotto reported that Trent is believed to be Toronto’s likeliest trade candidate ahead of the deadline, meaning he could be on the move soon as the Raptors brace for some potential changes.

After that report was released, some Bucks fans began speculating whether or not they could be a dark horse suitor for the guard. Of course, fans can dream of adding a player all they want, but the hard part comes when piecing together an adequate trade package. The Athletic writer Eric Nehm (Subscription required) put that to the test and proposed a trade in his new trade deadline primer that would see the Bucks acquire the recently turned 24-year-old guard for a plethora of pieces.

The Athletic’s trade proposal to see the Milwaukee Bucks land Gary Trent Jr.

The trade here is straightforward. To match what is left of Trent’s $17.3 million salary this season, the Bucks could send back Grayson Allen ($8.5 million), George Hill ($4 million), and Jordan Nwora ($2.8 million). To attract Toronto’s attention, Milwaukee’s 2029 first round pick would have to be a significant component of this deal. Some fans like the deal while others do not, so let us now take a closer look at it by breaking down the logic, lunacy, and overall verdict of this proposal.