The NBA is investigating the circumstances surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks’ signing of guard Gary Trent Jr. for potential salary cap circumvention.

An NBA spokesperson confirmed on Thursday that the league is “continuing to look into” the deal, while ESPN reported the investigation centres on whether the Bucks violated salary cap rules.

Although the Bucks did not disclose contract terms, ESPN reported that Trent agreed to a four-year, $64 million deal. The contract comes after Trent averaged 8.1 points and 21.2 minutes per game in 2025-26, his lowest marks since his rookie season in 2018-19.

Trent first joined Milwaukee in 2024 on a veteran minimum contract after averaging 13.7 points per game with the Toronto Raptors. He returned the following season after averaging 11.1 points and shooting 41.6% from three-point range in 2024-25, including two 30-point performances in the Bucks’ first-round playoff loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Trent declined a $3.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season before agreeing to the reported four-year deal.

The NBA’s investigation centres on whether there was a prior understanding that Trent would eventually be rewarded with a lucrative long-term contract after accepting below-market deals over the previous two seasons.

The Bucks’ case is separate from another ongoing NBA investigation involving the Los Angeles Clippers. The league is examining whether a $28 million endorsement agreement between Kawhi Leonard and sustainability company Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC amounted to salary cap circumvention, with that probe delaying Leonard’s trade to the Toronto Raptors.

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Published on Jul 17, 2026