On a night that saw Milwaukee Bucks fans questioning the front office due to their questionable decisions in who they chose to re-sign, shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. suddenly gave them something to celebrate.
Re-signing Bobby Portis to a three-year contract on Sunday was considered a great move by fans, and was made even greater when it was reported that Brook Lopez signed a two-year $18 million contract with the Los Angels Clippers a day later. With Lopez gone, Portis has a chance at claiming the starting center job, a role he held for most of the 2021-22 season.
But on Monday, when NBA free agency opened, Bucks fans saw the front office prioritize signing Kevin Porter Jr. and Taurean Prince to new two-year deals. Porter’s, a two-year $11 million contract, used Milwaukee’s biannual exception while Prince’s, worth a total of $7.1 million, utilized his early-Bird rights, giving him a salary above the veteran minimum, but did not require Milwaukee to use another exception.
Both deals were unpopular with fans. Porter has a history of domestic violence that many cannot overlook, and Prince was misused by head coach Doc Rivers, making his return to the roster questionable despite his 44% three-point percentage last season.
That all being said, Trent also signed a two-year contract to remain with the Bucks, with a salary far lower than what fans were expecting.
The Milwaukee Bucks Signed Gary Trent Jr. to a New Contract
Milwaukee Bucks, Gary Trent Jr.
Apr 6, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (5) changes his shoe against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Prior to the start of free agency, it was believed that Trent would be able to get anywhere between $8-10 million per season on the open market. However, instead of testing the free agent waters this season, he has decided to return to Milwaukee on a two-year $7.5 million contract:
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. pic.twitter.com/SqIfamxfpW
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025
The second season of Trent’s new contract is a player option, which he will likely decline. That being said, next offseason, more teams will have more salary cap space and he can make far more money then than he can now. What is more, by that time, the Bucks will have his full Bird rights and can offer him a multi-year contract worth roughly $13 million per season.
As it stands, this current deal utilizes his early Bird rights, which means it is a veteran minimum contract.
The best part about it though, at least for Milwaukee, is that they retain their full mid-level exception, which is worth over $14 million. They can now use the full exception to get a bigger name in free agency, or spread it out among multiple free agents to build their roster.
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