Report: Executives Believe Raptors Won't Retain Gary Trent Jr. In Free Agency

The Toronto Raptors are not expected to keep Gary Trent Jr. when he hits free agency this summer, executives say

Aaron Rose | May 5, 2023

Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

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Toronto Raptors

Gary Trent Jr.’s time as a Toronto Raptors may be coming to an end.

To be fair, we’ve done this before. It was widely expected Trent would be on the trade block at the trade deadline only for the 24-year-old to remain with Toronto through the rest of the season. Now, though, Trent is heading into unrestricted free agency assuming he opts out of his $18.8 million contract for next season.

“Competing executives around the league don't expect the Raptors to retain Gary Trent Jr.,” wrote Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus.

Trent is coming off a 17.4 points-per-game season in which he shot 43% from the floor and 37% from three-point range. He battled injuries off and on throughout the year and was twice moved to the bench during the season, ultimately finishing the year as the Raptors’ sixth man once Toronto acquired Jakob Poeltl at the trade deadline.

Losing Trent would be a tough break for Toronto who was among the league’s worst shooting teams last season and can’t afford to let one of the team’s few shot creators leave in free agency. The problem, though, is the Raptors are expected to be right up against the luxury tax threshold if they bring back Poeltl and Fred VanVleet who are both expected to head into free agency too.

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