The Milwaukee Bucks are still sorting through the aftermath of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, and it looks like another veteran might be on his way out the door.
Gary Trent Jr., the 26-year-old shooting guard who joined the Bucks last summer, is expected to decline his $3.9 million player option for next season, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes. That would make him an unrestricted free agent when the market opens on June 30.
A shooter in demand
Haynes reported Thursday that Trent Jr. has “become a desirable target for teams coveting knockdown shooting to bolster roster.” And it’s not hard to see why. Even in a down year, he shot 36 percent from three on decent volume. But the career number is what teams really look at: 38.7 percent from deep across seven seasons.
Trent Jr. played 65 games for Milwaukee this season, starting 21 of them. He averaged 8.1 points, 1.0 rebound and 1.2 assists per game. Those aren’t flashy numbers. But floor spacers who can stand in the corner and make defenses pay for doubling a star? Those guys get paid.
Which teams might come calling
There’s a pretty obvious list of contenders who need shooting. The Los Angeles Lakers are always hunting for guys who can hit catch-and-shoot threes around LeBron and Luka. Miami has been a mess offensively at times and could use another reliable option. Detroit needs shooting badly around Cade Cunningham and their young core.
At $3.9 million, Trent Jr. was essentially a bargain for Milwaukee. On the open market, he’ll likely command more than that — maybe the full mid-level exception or something close. A five-year veteran who can knock down shots and defend his position doesn’t usually come cheap.
The Bucks drafted Brayden Burries and Nate Ament in the first round after landing the 13th pick in the Jimmy Butler trade. So they’ve got young wings in the pipeline. But losing a proven shooter like Trent Jr. for nothing stings a little, especially when they’re already in a rebuild.
Teams can start negotiating with free agents June 30. Trent Jr. will probably have multiple suitors pretty quickly. The question is whether any of them can offer him a bigger role — and a bigger check — than what he walked away from in Milwaukee.
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