The upcoming season will be a test for the Milwaukee Bucks to see if their decision to acquire All-Star point guard Damian Lillard over a year ago was the right one. The thing is, Gary Trent Jr., his former Portland Trail Blazers teammate, could be the X-factor the team needs to become more competitive.
Trent was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the 2018 NBA draft and then traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. He signed a three-year contract with the Trail Blazers and spent his rookie season splitting time between the NBA and the G League’s Texas Legends.
In the second and third season With the Trail Blazers, Trent’s playing time and productivity have increased significantly. He has become a valuable rotation player, averaging nearly nine points per game while providing perimeter defense and three-point shooting off the bench. Trent’s robust play caught the attention of the Toronto Raptors, who acquired him mid-season in 2021.
Trent continued to improve with the Raptors, averaging over 15 points per game. He became one of the Raptors’ best offensive threats and helped the team return to the playoffs. After three seasons in Toronto, Trent signed with the Bucks as a free agent in 2024, joining a contending team and solidifying his status as a versatile two-way player in the NBA.
Milwaukee Bucks X-Factor Revealed to Be Gary Trent Jr in 2024-25 NBA Season
The upcoming season will be crucial for the Bucks to prove that their decision to acquire Lillard a year ago was the right one. In that regard, Grant Hughes from Bleacher Report identified Trent as the team’s X-factor and the catalyst that helped them achieve success.
Absolute free agent steal Gary Trent Jr. gives the Milwaukee Bucks their fifth starter for the price of their 14th player. Wins on the books don’t count as much as wins on the court. If Trent can’t give the Bucks a chance in the highest-stakes scenario he’s ever seen as a pro, no one will remember what a bargain he was.
That will start on defense, where Trent must prove he is more than an opportunistic pass rusher. Steals are valuable, and Trent has averaged at least 1.0 steals per game in that area in each of the last four seasons, peaking at 1.7 in 2021-22 with the Toronto Raptors. Milwaukee will be looking for more power than finesse from him, as Trent will be taking on an extremely tough task on a nightly basis.
Khris Middleton is the Bucks’ No. 2 starting wing, but he underwent two ankle surgeries this summer and has missed nearly half of his team’s games over the past two years. Damian Lillard has never been even an average defender.
Often, Trent will have to face the opposing team’s strongest winger or defender. The Bucks can count on elite production from their recent starter, as Trent’s 38.6 percent shooting from deep could actually improve given the amount of other threats taking attention away from him. Let’s see how things go on the other side.
The Bucks have signed Trent, one of the top free agents on the market, annual contract in the offseason. He reportedly turned down a multi-year deal with the Raptors worth about $15 million per year, demanding a raise for his $18.6 million salary for the 2023-24 season.
The signing of Trent by the Bucks is seen as a significant addition as they look to challenge the defending champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. If all goes well, the former Trail Blazers and Raptors star could prove to be the missing piece for Lillard to earn his first ring with the Bucks.
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