The NBA is reportedly investigating why the Milwaukee Bucks gave guard Gary Trent Jr. a $64 million contract extension after what many viewed as a subpar season. The suspicion is that he was paid less in previous years to help the Bucks circumvent the salary cap.
After signing a $51.8 million deal with the Toronto Raptors in 2024, Trent joined the Bucks for the league-minimum $2.6 million. The Bucks were well into the luxury tax apron at the time and had to pay high salaries to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damien Lillard, so this was the only contract they could afford.
Prior to last season, Trent agreed to a two-year, $7.5 million deal with the Bucks that would pay him $3.7 million in 2025–2026. This made it possible under Bird Rights for him to re-sign with a team, even if it exceeded the salary cap. This offseason, he opted out of his player option to become a free agent.
Why would Gary Trent Jr. deserve a big raise after last season?
Last season, Gary Trent Jr. often fell out of the Milwaukee Bucks’ rotation and played his fewest minutes per game since his rookie season, scoring just 8.1 points and shooting just 38.7% from the field.
Which is why it was so odd that the Bucks would sign him to a fully guaranteed four-year, $64 million contract – the eighth-highest total contract of free agency thus far this year – to return to the team next season.
As a result, an NBA spokesperson told ESPN’s Shams Charania that the league will be investigating the deal for possible salary cap circumvention. The thinking is that the Bucks chose in advance to overpay Trent in the future in order to guarantee his commitment, either when he first signed in 2024 or when he re-signed in 2025.
When a similar situation occurred with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Joe Smith in 2000, the NBA fined the team five first-round picks (two of which the NBA eventually returned) and voided the contract.