Gary Trent Jr. hasn't been in the Milwaukee Bucks' rotation much this season, but with Cam Thomas now out of town, more opportunities are there for the taking. With Milwaukee's season nearing an end due to the playoffs likely being out of reach, Trent has a handful of games to get into a groove and try to end things with a bang after what has been a disappointing season.
Trent now has the green light for Milwaukee
In Milwaukee's first game without Thomas, a blowout loss to the LA Clippers, Trent logged 31 minutes of game action. It was the most playing time he recorded since December 1. In recent matchups, Doc Rivers had flirted with giving both Thomas and Trent minutes, but with Thomas now out of the picture, he is clearly laser-focused on trying to get the best out of the latter.
It didn't take long for the shooting guard to regain his legs against the Clippers, pouring in 20 points, tying a season high, largely thanks to six 3-point makes. It was a clear reminder that Trent is a bucket-getter with one of the smoothest 3-point strokes in the game. Now, Rivers is going to let him off the leash down the stretch to see if he can bring more of that to this offense.
Trent has a lot to prove down the stretch
These final 11 regular season games could have a signifciant impact on Trent's next step in his NBA career. The guard has a player option worth $3.9 million for next season, and right now, it feels like he wouldn't get more than that on the open market. If he plays well, just like he did against LA, down the stretch, perhaps he can position himself to earn a raise, even if it's a slight one.
There's also a world where he struggles and might considering picking up his option, though it would likely take tanking his value considerably to do so.
This season has not gone according to plan for Trent. After catching fire in last year's playoff showing, Milwaukee Bucks fans had high hopes for the guard—some thought he could even be the team's second-leading scorer behind Giannis Antetokounmpo. That dream died long ago, but it shouldn't stop Gary Trent Jr. from closing out his season with something to write home about.
Welcome back to the rotation, Gary Trent Jr.
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