In their second game of the season, the Milwaukee Bucks will play a road game in Toronto, the NBA schedule drop revealed. While it's not a marquee matchup, there should be plenty at stake for guard Gary Trent Jr., who spent three and a half years with the Raptors before joining the Bucks last offseason on a minimum deal. For Trent, the game is a chance to show his old team they erred in letting him walk so easily.
Toronto let one get away, to the Bucks' advantage
After acquiring Trent from Portland, the Raptors signed him to a three-year, $52 million deal, a substantial payday for his first non-rookie contract. While he never quite developed offensively as more than a pure bucket-getter and shooter, that does not mean he is not a valuable player. By the time his deal expired, though, Toronto apparently decided that Trent was not worth keeping. That allowed the Milwaukee Bucks to swoop in.
Trent's scoring volume had dipped in 2023-24, from a two-year average of 17.9 points per game to 13.7, but he had his most efficient performance from the field as a Raptor, thanks to improved 3-point shooting. In Milwaukee, he went a step further.
Taking a career-high portion of his shot attempts beyond the arc, Trent converted triples at a 41.6 percent clip and boosted his effective field goal percentage to 56.8 percent. Overall, he posted a 59.1 true shooting percentage, a personal best. On the defensive end, he dug in his heels to reassert himself as a tough, if slightly undersized wing defender.
Trent showed enough for the Bucks to bring him back on a two-year deal this time, player option included, worth $7.6 million. Compared to the going rate of similar talent, that's a bargain. It would be a small shock if he isn't in the starting lineup to begin the 2025-26 season.
He should, the team hopes, be able to stay there. 2024-25 was not without its ups and downs. A starter on opening night, Trent was benched during a rocky first month. Beginning in December, however, his production picked up and stayed up for the rest of the season. In the playoffs, Trent notched a pair of 30-point outings against the Pacers, tying a Bucks single-game postseason record with nine made threes.
Milwaukee may rely on him to contribute at a higher volume this season, perhaps creeping close to his Toronto peak. At the same time, the Milwaukee Bucks need him to keep his efficiency and defensive focus intact.
If he does that, even assuming he opts out at the end of the year, his contract will look like an absolute steal. Just reproducing last year's numbers would justify his salary.
In the matchup on October 24, Trent can give the Raptors an early glimpse of the two-way asset they could have kept around for cheap.