The Milwaukee Bucks made a big free-agent signing today, inking guard Gary Trent, Jr. to a four-year, $64 million contract to remain with the team. Shams Charania of ESPN reported the news.
The adjective “big” refers not so much to significance. Trent averaged just 8.1 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 21.2 minutes per game over 65 appearances for the Bucks last season. He shot 38.7% from the floor, 36.0% from the three-point arc. Those are near-career-low numbers for him.
The $16 million per
year salary does not match up to his production or his contribution to the Bucks over the past two seasons. Decent free agents are going for $6-8 million this summer. Trent’s salary doubles that. There’s some backdoor speculation (and homespun wisdom) in the idea that the new deal is compensation for Trent signing small, $2-3 million contracts the last two years with Milwaukee.
Either way, the former Trail Blazers guard just became a $2-million-per-point man. Nicely done.
