During this year’s offseason, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired Gary Trent Jr. to boost their backcourt rotation. Turns out, the franchise may have a real concern for the former Toronto Raptors star ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season.
The Bucks have bolstered their backcourt with the signing of Trent to a one-year deal, the team announced on Saturday. The 25-year-old guard averaged 13.7 points and 1.7 assists over 71 games with the Toronto Raptors last season and was one of the top remaining free agents on the market.
This move reunites Trent with his former Portland Trail Blazers teammate, Damian Lillard, who recently joined the Bucks. His addition should provide a valuable scoring punch to complement Lillard and the Bucks’ existing core, helping to make up for the departure of Malik Beasley to the Detroit Pistons.
With career averages of 14.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game, the former Portland Trail Blazers star has established himself as a reliable scoring threat in the NBA. His ability to play both ends of the floor should make him a valuable asset for the Bucks as they look to build on their recent success and contend for a championship in the 2024-25 season.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ Biggest Concern Surrounding Gary Trent Jr.
While Trent’s addition is a welcome development for Milwaukee, there’s one concern about him in the upcoming season. Grant Hughes explained more in an article he wrote for Bleacher Report.
“Milwaukee got similarly lucky when the market overlooked Malik Beasley last year, and Trent is going to provide similarly incendiary shooting as a likely fifth starter. Trent’s career 38.6 percent knockdown rate from deep is right in line with Beasley’s 38.5 percent figure, and both are high-volume per-minute gunners. The real difference-maker in the comparison will come on D, where Beasley, a historically terrible defender, got loads of credit for hitting a previously unseen “doesn’t totally kill your scheme” level of competency last year.
Trent needs to be better than that, and his impact has to go beyond the steal-hoarding behavior he’s exhibited throughout his career.
Damian Lillard’s defense isn’t scaring anyone, and Khris Middleton had surgery on both ankles this offseason. That means the most dangerous opposing guards and wings will see Trent matched up across from them more often than not.
If the Bucks are going to avoid a third straight first-round out, Trent has to embrace the stopper role,” Hughes wrote.
As it stands, the guard’s profile throughout his career has leaned more towards the offensive end of the court. Furthermore, his career -0.7 defensive box plus/minus rating won’t help improve the team’s overall effort in stopping the opposing squad.
This particular signing is the latest in a series of offseason moves for the Bucks, who have been active in the free agent market as they aim to surround their star players with the necessary talent to make a deep playoff run. Fans in Milwaukee will be eager to see how the former Raptors guard is going to bolster the team’s backcourt and provide a formidable scoring option for head coach Doc Rivers.
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