What in the world are the Milwaukee Bucks doing with Gary Trent Jr.? That seems to be the question NBA fans are asking. Apparently, it’s also a question the NBA wants answered.
On July 11, ESPN reported that the Bucks and Trent agreed to a four-year, $64 million deal. That came one year after he averaged just 8.1 points per game and shot 36 percent from behind the arc, both his lowest marks since his rookie season.
It’s certainly strange how Trent went from earning the league minimum in 2025-26, endured one of the worst seasons of his career and then received a new contract worth an average of $16 million per year.
However, that’s for the league to sort out.
For now, let’s focus on what Trent can actually accomplish on the court. Here is one realistic and one ambitious goal for him during the 2026-27 season.
Realistic goal: Be a good veteran mentor
Setting the contract situation aside, the Bucks simply need Trent to be a good veteran presence for their younger players.
Milwaukee’s backcourt is loaded with younger players who should be prioritized.
Ryan Rollins and Brayden Burries need as much meaningful playing time as Milwaukee can give them. Both are more comfortable with the ball in their hands than Trent, but they’ll also have to learn how to impact games off the ball because of the number of creators on the roster.
Kevin Porter Jr. and Tyler Herro are also proven, capable veterans who should sit well ahead of Trent on the depth chart.
Head coach Taylor Jenkins will presumably want to find minutes for AJ Green as well. That’s already five guards before we even get to 20-year-old Kasparas Jakucionis.
That leaves Trent with a much different role than he’s been accustomed to throughout much of his career.
His best contribution may come behind the scenes: work hard in practice, stay ready when his number is called, help the younger guards navigate an NBA season and avoid becoming a distraction if the minutes aren’t there.
It may not be the role a player fresh off a $64 million contract normally plays, but it is the most useful one he can fill right now.
Ambitious goal: Earn a spot at the back end of the rotation
Much like Jericho Sims, Trent’s best individual goal is to force his way into occasional starts or a regular spot at the back end of the rotation.
That may not align perfectly with Milwaukee’s long-term priorities, but Trent still has every reason to prove he belongs on the court.
It was only three years ago that he was averaging 17 points per game with the Toronto Raptors. Granted, his scoring average has declined every season since, but he has already shown he can produce at a high level in the NBA.
Milwaukee won’t ask him to handle anywhere near the offensive responsibility he had in Toronto. Instead, his path back into the rotation is much simpler: defend competently, play within the offense and knock down open threes.
That last part is especially important.
Trent connected on 41.6 percent of his three-point attempts during his first season in Milwaukee. If he can rediscover anything close to that shooting touch, Jenkins may have a difficult time keeping him glued to the bench—especially if the Bucks are trying to remain competitive.
The opportunity probably won’t be handed to Trent. He’ll have to take it from one of Milwaukee’s younger guards.
If he can shoot well enough to do that, he’ll at least begin changing the conversation around his new contract from how he got it to what he can still provide.
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