The NBA is reviewing the Milwaukee Bucks’ reported four-year, $64 million contract with guard Gary Trent Jr. to determine whether the agreement violated league rules governing salary cap circumvention.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that a league spokesperson confirmed the matter is being examined following widespread questions about the size and timing of Trent’s new contract, which came after he spent the past two seasons with Milwaukee on significantly smaller deals.
The probe centers on whether the Bucks and Trent had an improper understanding that he would accept below-market contracts before later receiving a lucrative long-term agreement. Such prearranged “handshake” deals are prohibited under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement because they could allow teams to sidestep salary cap restrictions. Trent initially joined Milwaukee on a veteran minimum contract in 2024 before signing a modest two-year pact in 2025. After declining his player option this offseason, he reportedly agreed to a fully guaranteed four-year contract worth $64 million.
The reported contract surprised many around the league given Trent’s recent production. The 27-year-old averaged 8.1 points per game during the 2025-26 season, his lowest scoring average since his rookie year, while seeing a reduced role in Milwaukee’s rotation. League observers questioned how a player coming off a down season secured a substantial long-term raise in a restrictive free-agent market, fueling speculation that prompted the NBA’s review. No evidence of wrongdoing has been made public, and neither the league nor the Bucks has alleged that any rules were violated.
If the league were to determine that salary cap circumvention occurred, the NBA has the authority to impose significant penalties, including fines, the loss of draft picks or other disciplinary measures, though no conclusions have been reached. The investigation remains in its early stages, and Milwaukee has not publicly commented on the reported probe.
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