Raptors Guard Likely Heading for Serious Pay Cut in Free Agency

Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. may not even get the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception in free agency this summer

Apr 7, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. (33) during player introductions before a game against the Washington Wizards at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports / John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Gary Trent Jr. appears headed for a serious pay cut this summer.

There's reportedly "real doubt" that Trent will sign for the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception worth a starting salary of $12.5 million for next season, according to Sportsnet's Michael Grange.

Trent picked up his $18.6 million player option for this past season with the Toronto Raptors hoping a better season with the Raptors would lead to a big payday this summer. It's a decision that appears to have backfired for Trent who saw his role shrink in Toronto's new offensive system under head coach Darko Rajaković. He averaged just 13.7 points in 28.1 minutes per game, the lowest numbers since his sophomore season in Portland.

Toronto doesn't have the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception available to use this summer without shedding salary in a cost-saving trade this offseason. If Trent is prepared to take less than the mid-level exception, the Raptors could theoretically re-sign the 25-year-old sharpshooter but it appears as though Toronto is prepared to move on from Trent.

The Raptors reportedly haven't made any attempt to re-sign Trent since free agency officially began Sunday evening, according to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. The addition of Ja'Kobe Walter, a player who profiles similarly to Trent, in the first-round of the NBA draft last week only further suggests Toronto is ready to move on from the 6-foot-5 shooting guard.

Trent spent the last four seasons in Toronto after the organization acquired him from the Trail Blazers in a deal for Norman Powell during the 2020-21 season. He showed some defensive progress in 2021-22, averaging 1.7 steals per game, but has never developed into much more than a one-dimensional sharpshooter with a 38.6% three-point stroke for his career.