SI:AM | NBA Launches Investigation Into Another Fishy Contract

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I have bad news for all the haters: Bryson DeChambeau finally had a good round at a major.

In today’s SI:AM:
🦌 Bucks under investigation
🎙️ Tony Reali interview
🏈 Preseason QB rankings

If you’re reading this on SI.com, click here to subscribe and receive SI:AM directly in your inbox each morning.

NBA launches another investigation

Kawhi Leonard isn’t the only player with a contract that the NBA has deemed worthy of further investigation.

The league is also looking into the four-year, $64 million deal between the Bucks and veteran wing player Gary Trent Jr., an NBA spokesperson confirmed to ESPN’s Shams Charania yesterday.

Trent’s contract raised eyebrows when Charania first broke the news last week that he was re-signing with Milwaukee. The 27-year-old has mostly come off the bench in two completely unremarkable seasons with the Bucks, averaging 11.1 points per game in 2024–25 and 8.1 points per game this past year.

Trent’s initial contract with the Bucks, signed in the summer of 2024, was a two-year deal for the veteran minimum. That, too, was something of a surprise. The former second-round pick had just had four productive seasons with the Trail Blazers and Raptors, averaging 16.2 points per game over that span. He was paid $18.6 million in his final season in Toronto. Trent opted out after the first season of his deal with the Bucks and signed a new two-year, $7.5 million contract with another player option. In doing so, he established his early Bird rights—a way for veterans to re-sign with their current team even if it pushes the team over the salary cap. His new contract, which was officially signed and submitted to the league yesterday, will pay him $15.2 million this season—$11.5 million more than he earned last season. Chris Mannix reported that rival executives expected Trent would command between $4 million and $6 million on the open market.

The NBA collective bargaining agreement prohibits handshake deals where a player takes a lower salary with the promise of a bigger contract down the road to make up for it. In 2000, the league punished the Timberwolves for salary cap circumvention after it found that Minnesota had a handshake deal with Joe Smith, who had signed three consecutive one-year discount contracts with the promise of landing a richer deal once he’d established his Bird rights. The NBA voided Smith’s contract (nullifying his Bird rights) and stripped the Timberwolves of five first-round picks (although two picks were later reinstated).

When Trent first signed with the Bucks, the team was up against the salary cap thanks to the hefty contracts of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, both of whom earned $48.8 million in 2024–25. After Giannis was traded away and Lillard was waived, Trent seemed poised to cash in on the newly available cap space. Now, it could end up costing both him and the team.

Everyone’s still waiting on LeBron

LeBron James on the court — LeBron James is still waiting to choose his next team. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

NBA transactions are at a standstill as teams across the league wait for LeBron James to pick his next team (among other things).

Anyone hoping James would make his announcement yesterday in New York at Fanatics Fest was sorely disappointed. James hosted a live edition of his podcast, Mind the Game, with Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, but didn’t as much as hint at the news we’re all waiting to hear.

Haliburton might have a future in journalism after his playing career is over, though. LeBron apparently said backstage that he didn’t want to talk about free agency, but that didn’t stop Haliburton from asking the question anyway.

“We literally talked about this in the back,” James told Haliburton after being asked about his future.

Any good reporter knows that if you’ve been told a topic is off-limits, there’s no harm in asking the question and making your subject decline to comment.

Several teams are reportedly in the mix for James. They include the Cavaliers and Heat, two of his former teams. The Warriors are also said to be interested in pairing LeBron with Stephen Curry, and the Sixers have also thrown their hat in the ring.

The wait for LeBron’s decision has a trickle-down effect on the rest of the NBA. Other prominent players like Draymond Green and James Harden won’t be able to sign new contracts until their current teams know their salary cap situations. That, combined with the Raptors’ decision to pause their planned trade for Kawhi Leonard, has created a logjam. Hopefully LeBron makes his decision soon so things can get moving again.

The best of Sports Illustrated

Matthew Stafford throws a pass — Matthew Stafford is the reigning MVP, but he isn’t the top quarterback in our rankings. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Jimmy Traina: Tony Reali Gets Raw and Real in Opening Up About Life After ESPN
Matt Verderame: SI’s 2026 NFL Preseason QB Rankings: Reigning MVP Matthew Stafford Is No. 3
Tom Verducci: Brandon Pfaadt Might Be an Ace Now
Tom Dierberger: Meet Dan Brown, the Surprise British Open Contender Who Just Wants to Rip Cigarettes
Ryan Phillips: The Chase Burns Extension Was a No-Brainer for the Reds
Kim Curzi: Meet the Creative Force Behind the Most Stylish Club in Women’s Soccer

The top five…

… soccer goals I saw last night:
5. A nice run and well-timed pass by Portland’s David Da Costa to Cole Bassett for the Portland Timbers’ third goal in a blowout win over the rival Seattle Sounders.
4. Another impressive run and slick back-heel pass from Da Costa for the fifth and final Portland goal.
3. Jimer Fory’s perfect assist to Kevin Kelsy for Portland’s first goal. (Da Costa had a great pass to get the play started.)
2. An absolute missile from Sporting Kansas City winger Capita.
1. A stunning long-range volley by Sadie Waite of Ottawa Rapid FC. (That’s the Northern Super League, Canada’s top women’s league.)

Add us as a preferred source on Google