Gary Trent Jr. didn’t exactly quiet the conversation around his new deal in the Bucks’ preseason opener.
Milwaukee’s decision to bring him back on a four-year, $64 million contract already had people raising eyebrows this offseason, especially because he had been on a veteran minimum contract before that. The move drew enough attention that the NBA opened an ongoing investigation into possible cap circumvention by the Bucks and Trent.
I just saw the replay of what Gary Trent did and I think that clip alone is going to secure federal charges for the Bucks
— 🍿 (@The_xi6_man) October 6, 2026
Then came Monday’s preseason loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the jokes started flying again.
Trent finished tied with Tyler Herro as Milwaukee’s third-leading scorer, trailing Ryan Rollins’ 15 points and Kel’el Ware’s 14. But the shot-making wasn’t there. He went 3-of-9 from the floor and 3-of-8 from beyond the arc, which only fueled the online chatter about the league’s probe and his contract.
The NBA needs to investigate that Gary Trent contract again https://t.co/B1Gs3SmV9v
— The Chef 👨🏽🍳 (@TheChefKayy) October 6, 2026
Fans had a field day with the fact that Trent still finished near the top of the Bucks’ shot attempts, with plenty of the humor centered on the idea that he was putting up enough volume to justify the money and, at least in jest, keep the investigation from getting any louder.
All the laughing aside, the preseason opener did suggest Milwaukee intends to lean on him offensively this season. Trent is entering his third year with the Bucks after joining the team ahead of the 2024-25 season on a minimum deal.
I see why the leagues investigating that Gary Trent Jr. contract….
— Chris Lambert (@CLambertmedia) October 6, 2026
Last season, he played in 65 games and made 21 starts, logging a little over 21 minutes per night. He averaged 8.1 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 38.7 percent from the field, 36 percent from three and 76.9 percent at the line.
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