The Milwaukee Bucks signed Gary Trent Jr. to a four-year, $64 million contract, and the deal was so bad that the NBA is now investigating it. Milwaukee signed Trent Jr. in 2024 and paid him just $5.8 million over the last two years. The 6’5 wing is coming off a down year and somehow got a massive raise. Fans can blame Giannis Antetokounmpo for that.
The Bucks didn’t have extra dollars to pay Trent Jr. with Giannis’ max contract on their books. They had to sign him for a discount, and the 6’5 wing got a shot to play for a contender. With Antetokounmpo traded to the Heat, Milwaukee had money available and had to talk Trent Jr. into being on a rebuilding team. They had to overpay to bring him back, and it cost so much that the NBA is looking into it.
Only seven players got more money in free agency, and his contract was shockingly fully guaranteed. Role players rarely get four-year deals, and the contract isn’t fully guaranteed when they do. That made this deal look even more suspicious. This signing will get worse if Milwaukee broke the rules, but it is already arguably the worst move of the offseason.
Bucks signing Gary Trent Jr. was one of the worst moves of the offseason
Milwaukee overpaid for a wing who averaged 8.1 points, 1.2 assists, and 1.0 rebound in 21.2 minutes per game last season. He was benched for stretches and shot 38.7 percent from the field. It was his worst season since his rookie year, when Trent Jr. barely played.
The Bucks have a ton of depth on the wings, which made this signing even more baffling. Tyler Herro, Ryan Rollins, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Caris LeVert, AJ Green, Brayden Burries, Kasparas Jakucionis, and Kevin Porter Jr. all want minutes. Milwaukee is rebuilding and should focus on playing their young talent.
None of this happens without Giannis. The Bucks don’t sign Trent Jr. in 2024 without the superstar giving them a chance to contend. He doesn’t stay with the Bucks on a bargain deal in 2025 unless they could establish his Bird Rights. Milwaukee wouldn’t have given Trent Jr. a massive contract with Giannis still on their roster. The trade brought back a massive haul and left money for the Bucks to pay Trent Jr.
Giannis wanted the Bucks to be all-in around him. It led to the Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard trades. The Bucks were always trying to maximize their roster around the Greek Freak. They certainly wouldn’t have vastly overpaid a role player coming off the second-worst season of his career if Antetokounmpo was still on their roster.
Milwaukee Bucks fans can blame Giannis Antetokounmpo for the Gary Trent Jr. signing. This chain of events started with the superstar, and his departure opened the door to pay the veteran. Rich Paul got Trent Jr. a massive contract. The NBA is investigating whether the Bucks did things legally.
The fact that the league is looking into this deal tells fans all they need to know. The Bucks vastly overpaid for Gary Trent Jr., and it was one of the worst moves of the offseason. There is no avoiding that. Milwaukee isn’t trying to contend, but this deal will haunt them for years. No franchise wants that headache.
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