The NBA is investigating Gary Trent Jr.'s new deal with the Milwaukee Bucks

When ESPN's Shams Charania announced that Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. was returning to the team, not many people initially batted an eye.

But as clicked the tweet to see the details of his deal, people were frantically rubbing their eyes to make sure they saw it correctly.

Trent signed a four-year, $64 million contract that was fully guaranteed.

And he got that deal after his playing time was significantly decreased from the season prior -- and his production and efficiency took hits too.

Milwaukee Bucks sign Gary Trent Jr. to a fully guaranteed four-year, $64 million contract.

At @TheAthletic: https://t.co/wGmJow5gHd
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) July 11, 2026

The decision to bring back Trent as a whole wasn't out of the ordinary, but to sign him to such a large deal after his setbacks last season created a stir on social media. It was out of line with what other shooters have gotten -- including Tim Hardaway Jr. signing for less than half of Trent's annual salary, on just a one-year deal, in Miami.

Hardaway Jr. had a much better season, playing for Denver, than Trent Jr. did in Milwaukee.

This past season, Trent averaged 8.1 points per game on 38.7% shooting from the field and 36% shooting from the 3-point line. Statically speaking, his numbers were some of the worst of his career.

It was the second-lowest averages for points, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and minutes of his career since his rookie year. And it came as the Bucks needed better play from role players, with Giannis Antetokounmpo playing only 36 games and Milwaukee missing the play-in tournament and playoffs.

Gary Trent Jr. last season:

8.1 PPG — lowest since rookie year
1.9 3PG — lowest since 2020
38.7% FG — lowest since rookie year
36% 3PT — lowest since rookie year

to go with 1.2 APG, 1.0 RPG, 0.5 SPG. https://t.co/PZCUA8rwjH
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) July 11, 2026

The eight-year veteran walked into free agency as an unrestricted free agent after declining his $3.9 million player option with Milwaukee, and would later sign the larger deal.

However, as the new deal threw people in for a loop, it has now caught the eyes of the NBA.

It was announced by Charania on Thursday morning that the league would be looking into the $64 million deal per a league spokesperson.

The NBA is probing the signed $64 million free-agent deal for Gary Trent Jr. with the Milwaukee Bucks, per a league spokesperson. https://t.co/EIkahRn6Tq
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 16, 2026

Over the past two seasons, Trent has taken much smaller deals to return to the Bucks when he might have gotten bigger money elsewhere, signing a one-year, league-minimum contract for the 2024-25 season, and a two-year, $7.5 million contract that included a player option for the 2025-26 season.

So why the substantial increase now?

Especially after the Bucks added several younger guards in trades and the draft, including former All-Star Tyler Herro, No. 10 overall pick Brayden Burries and 2025 No. 20 overall pick Kasparas Jakucionis? And when Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. were coming off solid campaigns in the backcourt?

That, apparently, is what the NBA would like to know -- perhaps to learn if something was pre-arranged well prior to this offseason, after circumventing the salary cap before.

But for now, it's just alleged.

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