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SportsQuiet 4d · day 5

NBA investigates Bucks' Gary Trent Jr. deal for salary-cap circumvention

The league probes whether Milwaukee used cheaper contracts with a plan to reward Trent later, mirroring its recent Clippers case.

newest coverage 3d agosummary written 4d ago7 pieces9 likes & upvotes NewswiresMastodon

What to know

  • The NBA is investigating whether the Bucks made prearranged agreements with Gary Trent Jr. to sign cheaper contracts in 2024-25 with the promise of a lucrative deal in 2026—a potential salary-cap circumvention mirroring the Clippers' recent Kawhi Leonard case.
  • Red flags include the contract's timing (mid-free agency when cap space was scarce), Trent's poor season (8.1 PPG), and a $16 million annual value that rival executives say far exceeds his market worth.
  • The Bucks face potential penalties equal to or worse than the Clippers': $30 million fine, five forfeited first-round picks, possible owner suspension, and player restitution.
  • No publicly disclosed evidence points to the Bucks using external funding schemes like the Clippers did; the case hinges on alleged handshake agreements and contract timing.

“At least in the public realm, there is nothing like that with the Bucks and Trent, just questionable timing, including Trent's aforementioned poor season, the Bucks' change in direction as a franchise and a likely depressed market for Trent outside of Milwaukee.”

Joe Vardon, Reporter, The Athletic · Yahoo Sports ↗

Gary Trent Jr. Guard, Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee Bucks NBA teamNBA League governing bodyLos Angeles Clippers NBA team (comparison case)Joe Vardon Reporter, The Athletic

NBA investigates Bucks' Gary Trent Jr. deal for salary-cap circumvention
Yahoo Sports

How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 2 pieces in two hours at Sep 23, 10 AM; 7 pieces over 5 days (7 articles) Sep 23, 4 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Mastodon 1Sep 23, 6 AM — quietSep 23, 8 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 23, 10 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Newswires 2Sep 23, 12 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 23, 2 PM — quietSep 23, 4 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 23, 6 PM — quietSep 23, 8 PM — quietSep 23, 10 PM — quietSep 24, 12 AM — quietSep 24, 2 AM — quietSep 24, 4 AM — quietSep 24, 6 AM — quietSep 24, 8 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 24, 10 AM — quietSep 24, 12 PM — quietSep 24, 2 PM — quietSep 24, 4 PM — quietSep 24, 6 PM — quietSep 24, 8 PM — quietSep 24, 10 PM — quietSep 25, 12 AM — quietSep 25, 2 AM — quietSep 25, 4 AM — quietSep 25, 6 AM — quietSep 25, 8 AM — quietSep 25, 10 AM — quietSep 25, 12 PM — quietSep 25, 2 PM — quietSep 25, 4 PM — quietSep 25, 6 PM — quietSep 25, 8 PM — quietSep 25, 10 PM — quietSep 26, 12 AM — quietSep 26, 2 AM — quietSep 26, 4 AM — quietSep 26, 6 AM — quietSep 26, 8 AM — quietSep 26, 10 AM — quietSep 26, 12 PM — quietSep 26, 2 PM — quietSep 26, 4 PM — quietSep 26, 6 PM — quietSep 26, 8 PM — quietSep 26, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quiet 1–23
Sep 24Sep 25Sep 26yesterdaynow · 1:13 AM ET
  1. 3

    Reports warn Bucks face potential penalties matching or exceeding Clippers punishment

    Multiple outlets report the NBA could impose penalties on Milwaukee equal to or worse than those handed the Clippers: $30 million fine, five forfeited first-round picks, owner suspension, and player restitution. The Bucks are already burdened by Damian Lillard's $22.5 million annual cap hit from a waive-and-stretch, making the Trent deal especially problematic for a rebuilding team.

    1. 1 outlet The NBA’s next cap circumvention investigation is even more baffling than the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard case

      first by Yahoo Sports, 4d ago

    2. 1 outlet NBA investigates Gary Trent Jr.’s Bucks deal. How does it compare to Kawhi-Clippers?

      first by Mastodon, 4d ago

  2. 1

    Reporting identifies timing and market value as key red flags

    The Athletic's Joe Vardon reports that the contract's timing—announced well into free agency when cap space was scarce—suggests the Bucks paid above Trent's market value. He notes that if the deal had been announced in the first days of free agency, it would have drawn mockery from rival executives. No publicly known evidence suggests a comparable arrangement to the Clippers' sponsor scheme.

    1. 3 outlets Bucks rumors: What makes Gary Trent's $64 million contract extra shady as NBA continues investigation

      first by Yahoo Sports, 4d ago · also Newsweek, Sports Illustrated

      3 more headlines
  3. 2

    NBA launches full investigation into Trent deal for salary-cap circumvention

    The Athletic reports the NBA has launched a formal investigation into whether the Bucks used cheaper contracts in 2024 and 2025 with a prearranged plan to reward Trent with the $64 million deal in 2026—a form of salary-cap circumvention. The Bucks, Trent's agency Klutch Sports, and the NBA all declined comment but are cooperating with the probe.

    “The NBA needs to learn if the Bucks and Trent purposefully agreed to enter into cheaper contracts with a plan to reward Trent in the future.”
    — Joe Vardon
    1. 1 outlet Bucks reportedly being investigated by NBA for possible salary-cap circumvention in deal with Gary Trent Jr.

      first by Yahoo Sports, 4d ago

  4. background

    Bucks announce four-year, $64 million deal with Trent — The Bucks agreed to sign Gary Trent Jr. to a four-year, $64 million contract ($16 million average per year), nearly two weeks into free agency when most teams had exhausted their cap space. Trent was coming off his worst season as a Buck, averaging 8.1 points with 36 percent three-point shooting.

  5. background

    Bucks trade Giannis Antetokounmpo to Heat — Milwaukee traded star Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami, signaling a dramatic shift toward rebuilding after years of championship contention.

  6. background

    Trent receives modest pay increase to $3.7 million — Trent's contract was raised to $3.7 million for the 2025-26 season while the Bucks remained capped out.

  7. background

    Bucks sign Trent to minimum contract — Gary Trent Jr. joined the Milwaukee Bucks on a minimum deal in summer 2024, coming off a strong season with Toronto where he averaged 13.7 points and shot 39.3 percent from three.