Milwaukee Bucks fans were elated when Gary Trent Jr. re-signed with the franchise, thinking he was due for a big year. While he can still turn the tide, Trent has completely fallen short of expectations in the early going, and it's plaguing this team. With the team stuck in the mud lately, Trent is overdue for a resurgence to help jumpstart the Bucks.
Bucks need much more from Gary Trent Jr. to succeed
A plus-minus rating is the point differential when someone is on the floor. It doesn't define that player, but Trent's figure certainly paints a picture. On the year, Trent's rating sits at -116. That's the worst on the Milwaukee Bucks, and it's not even close. Jericho Sims is the next worst, and he is -61. There is a grand canyon-sized gap between the two. It shows how poorly things have gone in Trent's minutes.
Not all of it is Trent's fault, as Doc Rivers has played him in some not-so-flattering lineups, but he isn't doing much to help individually.
In 12 games as a starter, Trent just wasn't producing at a level the Bucks wanted, averaging 10 points while shooting 37.7 percent from the floor, including 36.8 percent from deep. Since being demoted to the bench for the second consecutive year, he has been slightly better, averaging 11 points while hitting 45.9 percent from the floor, including 40.9 percent from deep, but it hasn't been too different.
While his overall perimeter shooting hasn't been terrible — 37.9 percent — a good chunk of Trent's success has come from the corners. When he's above the break, he's been subpar. This season, he has gone 23-of-73 (31.5 percent) on such shots. He's better than that, especially with all of the open looks he gets. The Bucks desperately need him to start hitting those with regularity.
Trent has another level to reach. There's a reason some Bucks fans thought he could be the team's second-leading scorer this season. It was a small sample size, but in the playoffs last season, Trent exploded for averages of 18.8 points and 2.6 steals per contest. Fans hoped he would pick up where he left off, but that certainly hasn't been the case.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo, Taurean Prince, and Kevin Porter Jr. all injured, the Milwaukee Bucks need someone to put points on the board. Ryan Rollins can't do it all. This would be a great time for Trent to shake this slump and produce at the level everyone thought he could.
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