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The Athletic ↗· 23 Sept 2026· updated 14d ago
Update · MIL
Developing
Gary Trent Jr.

NBA probes whether Trent's Bucks deal masks a future payday

The NBA has launched a formal investigation into Gary Trent Jr.'s four-year, $64 million deal with Milwaukee, according to The Athletic. Investigators want to know if the Bucks and Trent structured cheaper deals now with a handshake promise of a big payday later.

The league reportedly hired law firm Hecker Fink to lead the probe, which mirrors its recent inquiry into Kawhi Leonard's arrangement with the Clippers.

Trent's pay jumped from $3.7 million last season to over $15 million annually, despite averaging just 8.1 points per game. The Bucks, Trent's agency Klutch Sports and the NBA all declined comment, though both the team and Klutch are reportedly cooperating.

If found guilty of circumvention, Milwaukee could face penalties similar to those levied against the Clippers, who lost five future first-round picks.

$64M · 4yr
+ 5 reports from 4 outlets
Yahoo Sports · 23 Sept 2026Trent's $64M Bucks deal draws cap circumvention probe like Kawhi's
Hoops Rumors · 23 Sept 2026League picks Hecker Fink to lead probe into Trent's Bucks deal
RealGM · 23 Sept 2026Bucks and Gary Trent Jr face NBA probe over Bird rights setup
Yahoo Sports · 23 Sept 2026NBA hires outside firm to probe Bucks-Trent contract structure
The Athletic · 23 Sept 2026NBA probes whether Trent's Bucks deal masks a future payday
Gary Trent Jr.

Related updates

Sportando ↗· 15 Jul 2026
Contract signing · MIL
Done deal
Gary Trent Jr.

Bucks lock in Gary Trent Jr. on multi-year deal

The NBA has brought in law firm Hecker Fink to investigate Gary Trent Jr.'s four-year, $64 million deal with Milwaukee, The Athletic's Joe Vardon reports. Investigators are examining whether Trent took smaller contracts earlier in his career on the understanding the Bucks would later pay him big.

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