Former Raptors Guard Moved to Bench Role Following Disappointing Start

Former Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. was moved to the bench for the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night following a rough start to the season

Nov 4, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (5) drives to the basket between Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) and guard Luke Travers (33) during the first half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

This was not how Gary Trent Jr. envisioned this season going.

It’s been another rough start to the year for Trent who left the Toronto Raptors this past summer to ink a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. The plan for Trent had been to star as a role player on a championship-caliber Bucks team this year and reset his free agency value next summer.

So far, it’s not looking good.

Trent was moved out of the starting lineup for the Bucks on Thursday night and replaced by sophomore wing Andre Jackson Jr. who Milwaukee hopes can bring a little more size, athleticism, and defensive ability to a Bucks team that’s struggled to get stops this year. The decision came following a 1-6 start to the season for Milwaukee who saw the Bucks ranked 21st in defense heading into Thursday.

Statistically, Trent’s numbers have cratered through the first eight games of the year. He’s averaging just 7.3 points on 29.5% shooting with a 23.1% three-point stroke.

It’s not the first time Trent has been moved into a bench role and the 25-year-old shoot guard has always been professional about doing whatever the team needs. He was forced into Toronto’s sixth-man spot to start last year with the Raptors after the organization signed Dennis Schröder and handled the change with class.

Trent, however, has seen his value decrease over the past few years and it appears to have cost him significantly. Had he declined his player option before last season, he likely would have inked a more lucrative multi-year deal either in Toronto or elsewhere. Instead, he saw his role shrink last season with the Raptors and was squeezed out of the market this past summer. Without lucrative options, Trent was forced to sign a veteran minimum deal with the Bucks.

Considering Trent’s track record, his numbers should normalize as the season continues. He’s proven to be a high-level three-point shooter, but his lack of offensive development and defensive liabilities have hurt his contract situation and the way he’s looked to start this year isn’t making his situation any better.