With the Milwaukee Bucks banged up beyond belief and needing bodies, Gary Trent Jr. has returned to the rotation. Despite struggling for a significant chunk of the season, the guard has come to life in recent days. Milwaukee's playoff hopes are crushed, so Trent isn't playing for that. Instead, he's trying to send a message about his NBA future as free agency nears.
"See what you like?"
Trent is trying to raise his value down the stretch
After an excellent—outside of that massive blunder—playoff showing, Trent bet on himself by taking a team-friendly deal last summer, thinking he could earn a bigger raise this year. He was initially given the runway as a starter, but with the two guard struggling, he found himself moved to a bench role to being out of the rotation entirely.
His value tanked mightily. No one was going to offer him a raise at that rate. Yet, in recent matchups, Trent is playing like the version of himself Bucks fans thought they'd be getting all year. Over his last four outings, including a scoreless effort, the shooting guard is averaging 18.5 points and 1.3 steals while hitting 51.5 percent of his 3-point shots. The switch has flipped.
Trent's two-way play has been exceptional. That smooth 3-point shot that kept the Indiana Pacers on their toes in the playoffs is back. Even without Giannis Antetokounmpo's gravity, Trent has found a way to make teams pay from distance. Defensively, the elite awareness that made him such a good fit in the backcourt has returned, generating turnovers and opportunities to capitalize on.
This version of Trent looks like a game-changer, despite this season's hopes already being long over.
Trent could be a hot commodity in free agency
Every team in the NBA could use Trent's services. Wings who can shoot the lights out and provide at least serviceable defense will always have a place. Even before this recent stretch, Trent would have gotten a look this summer, though it would have (likely) been at a minimum. If the marksman keeps this up and ends the season strong, he could possibly play his way into a raise.
Trent is making $3.7 million this season and has an option for $3.8 million next year. It already felt like he would decline the option to hit the market, considering how far south things went in Milwaukee for a good chunk of the season, but this recent stretch could cement it. After a 36-point effort against the LA Clippers over the weekend, Trent is certainly catching plenty of attention league-wide.
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