Gary Trent Jr. Cleared, Still Hunting Minutes Early for Bucks
Gary Trent Jr. is off the injury report after a Day-to-Day rest issue cleared up, but the early season has brought him mostly token minutes off the bench. Last season he settled into a bit role in Milwaukee, and his most recent box scores from October show the same pattern. A league review of the Bucks' deal for him is still hanging over the situation, per a September report.
By the Bucks Nightly Desk · updated 4 d ago01The story of the nightWhere Trent Stands Right NowGary Trent Jr.
Gary Trent Jr. is not on the Milwaukee injury report. He had been considered Day-to-Day with a rest-related issue as of October 14, but as of October 17 he was cleared. That matches what shows up in his last few outings: zero minutes against Indiana on October 16 and zero against Chicago on October 14, both Bucks wins and losses respectively that he didn't play in. The 27-year-old guard, in his eighth season out of Duke, wears No. 5 and is listed at 6-4, 204 pounds. So far this season he hasn't logged the kind of run that got him minutes last year, and the health note explains at least part of the gap in those two games.
02Last Season's Numbers With MilwaukeeTrent played 65 games for the Bucks last season, averaging 21.2 minutes a night.
Trent played 65 games for the Bucks last season, averaging 21.2 minutes a night. The scoring line was modest: 8.1 points, 1.0 rebound, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.0 blocks, with 0.6 turnovers. He shot 38.7 percent from the field, 36.0 percent from three and 76.9 percent from the foul line, good for a 53.3 true shooting mark. His usage rate sat at 16.7 percent, and his plus-minus was minus-5.4 on the year. That's the profile of a bench shooter who took on a secondary role rather than a primary scoring option.
03Early Season Game LogTrent's five most recent appearances this season tell a story of inconsistent run.
Trent's five most recent appearances this season tell a story of inconsistent run. He didn't play meaningful minutes in wins over Indiana on October 16 or Oklahoma City on October 7, both logged at 0.0 minutes. Against Chicago on October 14, also 0.0 minutes in a loss. He did get 13.6 minutes in a loss to Charlotte on October 11, finishing with 2 rebounds and no points, and 18.1 minutes in a loss to Minnesota on October 5, where he scored 11 points with 1 rebound and 1 assist. The plus-minus in that Minnesota game was minus-8.0. Nothing in the log so far points to an expanded role out of the gate.
04What Last Season's Stretch Run Looked LikeZooming back to the end of last season gives a fuller picture of his ceiling.
Zooming back to the end of last season gives a fuller picture of his ceiling. On March 29, Trent dropped 36 points with 2 rebounds and 4 assists in 37.3 minutes in a loss to the Clippers, by far his best scoring output in the sample. He followed that with 18 points against San Antonio on March 28 in a loss. He also had a 13-point game against Dallas on March 31 in a win, with 3 rebounds and an assist in 22.6 minutes. Then the minutes dried up again: 7 points against Detroit on April 8, and scoreless outings against Houston on April 1 and in that Dallas win. The swings show a player capable of big scoring nights when given extended minutes, but far from a guarantee of consistent playing time.
05The League Review Hanging Over the DealThere's an outside storyline attached to Trent's situation in Milwaukee.
There's an outside storyline attached to Trent's situation in Milwaukee. Joe Vardon reported on September 23 on the latest developments in the NBA's probe into the Bucks' deal that brought Trent to the team. No findings or conclusions have been reported publicly beyond that update. It's a situation worth tracking, but as of now it remains an open league review rather than a resolved matter, and it hasn't been tied to any disciplinary action or roster move.
Trent Jr.8.1 ppg
McGowens8.1 ppg
POR
TOR