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Brian Windhorst: 'I don't know what's going to happen in that investigation. I will tell you that it is a frequent conversation as I talk with people around the league. 'Do you hear anything on the Gary Trent investigation?' 'Do you hear anything on the Gary Trent investigation?' It is being done by a different law firm than did the Clippers' investigation. An executive said to me that they think, and I want to be clear, I want to be cautious, but an executive say to me if this is proven to be true, then this is actually more egregious than the Clippers' deal.'
Jack Maloney: bucks governor wes edens did not provide an update on the league's investigation into gary trent jr's contract "we're working with the league and fully cooperating with them, but i don't have any insight beyond that"
An NBA spokesman said the league’s investigation into Trent’s contract is ongoing and declined to answer further questions. The Bucks and Klutch Sports Group — Trent’s representing agency — have declined comment, but two sources with direct knowledge of the interviews taking place as part of the investigation said both the Bucks and Klutch are cooperating.
The NBA hired national investigations law firm Hecker Fink to examine the circumstances surrounding Trent’s contract. The league typically hires white-shoe firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz for work like this, but two concurrent cap-circumvention cases are atypical. The details that caught the NBA’s attention regarding Trent’s deal are this: Trent, 27, had signed two prior contracts for much less money with Milwaukee amid the previous two summers of 2024 and 2025 (including for the league minimum in 2024). There were player options attached to both deals, and he declined them both, setting up larger paydays. The first was a modest increase, with his 2025-26 salary jumping from $2.6 million to $3.7 million. Then, in the run-up to his new contract, which will pay him more than $15 million annually, he muddled through his worst statistical campaign since his rookie campaign from eight years ago. Trent averaged 8.1 points on 39 percent shooting in 21 minutes per game.
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Had the agreement with Trent come in the first few hours or even days of NBA free agency, according to rival league executives granted anonymity to discuss a player’s contract not with their team, the reaction in league circles would have been collective eye rolls and mockery, given Trent’s subpar 2025-26 performance. But leaking news of the agreement on July 11, nearly two weeks into NBA free agency, when most teams had used most of their available cap space, indicates the Bucks paid Trent above his market value, those rival executives said.
Stefan Bondy: I spoke with John Calipari a couple days ago and he brought up an old well-known tale about the Gary Trent Jr. situation happening before, without punishment from the NBA: In 1994, the Suns had just $1 million under the cap and used it to sign Danny Manning. It was a shake-hand agreement from Suns owner Jerry Colangelo that Manning would get a larger contract after one year. The problem? Manning blew out his knee midway through that first season. But Colangelo kept his word and signed Manning in 1995 to a seven-year, $40 million extension (which was massive back then). Colangelo even gave Manning part ownership of the Diamondbacks (talk about circumventing the cap). Anyway, Calipari told me this should be a viable way for players and teams to operate in the apron era. He also applauds the stars who are taking discounts to build contenders around them. "I don’t begrudge somebody saying, 'No, I earned it.' I don’t begrudge. But I’m saying it’s kinda neat. Because I’m about team. And that means – I care about myself and my family, but I also care about this team. What’s the common ground? What’s the middle ground? I got to give up a little bit?"
Jake Fischer: Gary Trent’s deal with Milwaukee is fully guaranteed. Year-to-year salary breakdown, per sources: $15.2 million for 2026-27, jumps up to $16.4 million for 2027-28 and 2028-29, then back down to $16 million in Year 4.
Shams Charania: The NBA is probing the signed $64 million free-agent deal for Gary Trent Jr. with the Milwaukee Bucks, per a league spokesperson.
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Shams Charania: Free agent guard Gary Trent Jr. has agreed to a four-year, $64 million deal to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agent Lucas Newton tells ESPN.
Shams Charania: The Bucks and Trent's reps worked through negotiations since the NBA Finals ended in mid-June while also sorting through sign-and-trade possibilities from interested teams over the last week. The sides moved toward completing a new deal together Saturday.
