Dave Litman
The Milwaukee Bucks have some explaining to do. The NBA has now launched an investigation into the outrageous, seemingly out-of-nowhere huge contract handed to role player Gary Trent Jr. this week.
After signing a two-year veteran’s minimum deal of of $2.6M/year with a player option with the Bucks in the summer of 2024, he opted out the following July. Trent then immediately signed another two-year deal, at $3.7M per, again with a player option. And we don’t have to tell you that he opted out of that one as well this summer, now armed with his full Bird Rights with the team. Next thing you know, it’s a four-year, $64 million contract with a $16M AAV, signed this past week.
And this all comes after averaging career lows with 8.1 points per game and 21.2 minutes a night this past season. Sound fishy? Yes, we agree.
NBA investigating if Bucks had ‘prearranged deal’ with Trent Jr.
There is speculation around the NBA that Bucks GM Jon Horst had a “prearranged” deal with Trent Jr., promising him via a handshake arrangement, that if he takes these below-market deals for a couple of years in order get his Bird Rights with the team, they would reward him with a much richer deal. Needless to say, this goes against league rules, and we have another “cap circumvention” type situation on our hands.
Nate Duncan said on the Hollinger & Duncan podcast on Thursday:
“If you just took this player, after the season that he had, I think this is the most ridiculous contract, relative to market, in NBA history.”
The NBA is already awaiting word on another alleged “wink-wink” sort of under-the-table scheme. An independent law firm is conducting what has been a nearly year-long investigation over the LA Clippers/Kawhi Leonard situation. It’s alleged that the two sides used a third-party company, the now-bankrupt Aspiration, to pay Leonard millions of dollars for a “no-show” endorsement deal, thereby “circumventing” the maxiumum amount the Clippers could pay him through an NBA contract. Of course, the Toronto Raptors are now entangled in that, as well. They have tentatively traded for Kawhi, to bring him back to the scene of his last championship. But that deal is on hold until that investigation is complete and the NBA rules on the punishment.
