Trent chooses to extend his stay with the Bucks!
Alert! Shams BOMB! Gary Trent Jr. is the latest Buck to re-sign with the team, this time on a two-year, $7.5m deal. Like both Porter and Prince’s deals, the second year is a player option for Trent.
FROM SHAMS:
Free agent sharpshooter Gary Trent Jr. has agreed to a two-year, $7.5 million deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, plus a player option, sources tell ESPN. Bucks made strong efforts to retain Trent and negotiated deal with Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agent Lucas Newton.
— Shams Charania Tweets (& Other NBA News) (@shamsbot.bsky.social) 2025-07-01T02:43:28.748Z
ESPN’s Bobby Marks has reported that the deal uses the Non-Bird exception (120% above the minimum). I think it’s fair to say that most fans were bracing for Trent to leave in free agency. Thus, getting him on a bargain-basement deal like this is terrific work by the Bucks front office. Of course, this deal leaves the Bucks able to spend their entire MLE.
After a rough start to last season, Trent really rounded into form as the year progressed, ending the year averaging 11.1 PPG and shooting 41.6% from three on 5.9 attempts (!) per game. He also came up massive in the playoffs, dropping 37 and 33 points in two of the five games. With Damian Lillard out for a large chunk of next season, Trent will help keep the offence humming.
Taking the Non-Bird exception was exactly what Bobby Portis did in 2021 following the title; Portis then got paid in the following summer. That is likely what is going on here with Trent, who can earn up to a $14.2m starting salary for 2026–27 if he re-signs next offseason in Milwaukee with Early Bird rights. Welcome back to the Cream City, GTJ!