Blue Devil Country

Former Duke Basketball Guard 'Figured Wrong' Entering Free Agency

Duke basketball product Gary Trent Jr. may face a considerable pay cut wherever he lands next season.

Matt Giles

Former Duke basketball guards Gary Trent Jr. and RJ Barrett
Former Duke basketball guards Gary Trent Jr. and RJ Barrett / Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
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Gary Trent Jr. could have become a free agent last summer after eclipsing 17 points and 32 minutes per game for a second straight season. Instead, the 2017-18 Duke basketball one-and-done decided to stick around with the Toronto Raptors on the last year of a three-year contract worth $52 million.

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But the sharpshooting guard saw a dip in playing time this past season, averaging only 13.7 points in 28.1 minutes per outing. And now, two days into NBA free agency, it appears his perceived value has dropped considerably from where it was a year ago.

As Sportsnet's Michael Grange explained in a column on Monday, Gary Trent Jr. is likely to have no choice but to head elsewhere for less money:

"He figured there would be better opportunities in free agency this summer, apparently. He figured wrong...[The Raptors] have been allowed to negotiate a new deal with Trent Jr. since June 18...and so far it's been crickets...Trent Jr. is almost certainly headed towards becoming an NBA 'have not' rather than a member of its upper-middle class, where his last contract had him pegged."

According to Grange, the 25-year-old NBA Blue Devil may well fall short of the mid-level exception of $12.5 million for the 2024-25 season.

Meanwhile, Toronto's other one-year Duke basketball guard, 24-year-old RJ Barrett, is under contract through the 2026-27 campaign. This past season, Barrett averaged a career-high 21.8 points per game for the Raptors after getting traded from the New York Knicks in late December.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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