NBA Opens Probe Into Bucks’ Gary Trent Jr. Contract

The league has hired outside counsel to examine whether a pattern of low-value deals and handshake promises was used to bypass salary-cap rules.

Overview

On Wednesday the NBA confirmed an ongoing investigation and reports say it engaged law firm Hecker Fink to review the Bucks’ four-year, $64 million deal for Gary Trent Jr.
Investigators are focused on whether Milwaukee had Trent sign near-minimum contracts in prior offseasons with informal promises that would allow the team to exceed the cap later using Bird rights.
The deal drew attention because Trent’s pay rose from roughly $2.6 million in 2024 and $3.7 million in 2025 to about $16 million per year despite a down statistical season.
The Bucks and Trent’s agency Klutch Sports have declined detailed comment but are reported to be cooperating with league interviews, and the NBA can rely on interview evidence and inference even without a single documentary ‘smoking gun.’
If investigators find intentional circumvention, the Bucks could face penalties like draft-pick forfeitures, fines or suspensions similar to past Clippers and Joe Smith-era sanctions, a result that could change how teams use Bird rights going forward.