NBA launches investigation into Milwaukee Bucks over Gary Trent Jr contract
The National Basketball Association is examining whether the Milwaukee Bucks structured a four-year deal for guard Gary Trent Jr to exploit Early Bird Rights and bypass salary cap regulations.
The National Basketball Association has confirmed it will investigate the Milwaukee Bucks’ four-year, $64 million fully guaranteed contract extension for guard Gary Trent Jr. A league spokesperson verified the inquiry to ESPN following the official submission of the deal on Thursday morning, responding to widespread scrutiny regarding potential salary cap circumvention.
The investigation centres on allegations that the Bucks may have utilised the contract structure to circumvent salary cap rules by exploiting Early Bird Rights. Critics argue the team secured a value significantly above Trent’s recent on-court performance by having him sign minimum-salary contracts in the preceding two years, thereby establishing eligibility for a higher valuation under the collective bargaining agreement.
During the 2025-26 season, Trent averaged 8.1 points on 38.7% shooting across 65 games, earning less than $4 million annually. The new deal is valued at $64 million, which is just $4 million below the maximum amount allowable under the Early Bird Rights system. Rival executives had anticipated the re-signing for months, noting that Trent played below his perceived market value during the previous season to secure these specific rights.
The theory suggests that the Bucks may have agreed in advance to overpay Trent in the future to secure his commitment, a practice prohibited under Article 13 of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. This mechanism allows teams to re-sign players even if they exceed the salary cap, but the timing and magnitude of the new deal have drawn league attention similar to historical violations involving other franchises.
The NBA’s scrutiny highlights the increasing difficulty in proving circumvention, as seen in a separate ongoing investigation involving the Los Angeles Clippers. However, the league retains the authority to rule that a cap was circumvented if a contract cannot rationally be explained in the absence of violative conduct, leaving the Bucks’ decision-making under intense institutional review.
