Toronto Raptors winger Gary Trent Jr. is deciding on his player option for next season, a team source confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know:
- The option is valued at $18.6 million and is the third year of a deal he signed with Toronto after being acquired by Portland.
- Trent averaged 17.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game for Toronto last season.
- The 24-year-old shot 36.9 percent from 3 in 6.8 attempts per game.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Was that a surprise?
Trent’s decision was truly one of the most difficult on the board when it came to player options. Last year he had a disappointing season in which he kept switching from the starting group to the bench. The second unit struggled to keep the Raptors in the game year-round, even when Trent had his moments. His 3-point record suffered a slight drop compared to 2021–22, but his biggest mistake was on defense.
It’s a bit surprising that he didn’t take the opportunity to sign a new long-term contract via the open market, but he’s still eligible for a renewal with the Raptors. The Raptors may offer him an extension this offseason with a maximum starting salary of about $26 million in the 2024-25 season. — Korean
What does that say about the Raptors’ offseason plans?
Attention now turns to Fred VanVleet, who has declined to accept his player option for next season and will be an unrestricted free agent in July. It was always going to be difficult to sign all three, VanVleet, Trent and Jakob Poeltl, on the open market while staying under the luxury tax line.
With Trent’s approval, the Raptors now have nine players under contract earning $112.35 million (including a $1 million guaranteed for Thaddeus Young in a buyout scenario). Adding in minimum wages and a first-round draft pick, the Raptors have about $42 million to re-sign VanVleet or Poeltl. They’re destined to earn more next year, so the Raptors are either moving to another contract to make room for them, or both players aren’t returning to Toronto. VanVleet assumes that there are more applicants in free agency than Poeltl. — Korean
backstory
Trent was a five-star candidate after high school and later played for Coach K at Duke. In his only season at Durham, he averaged 14.5 points per game while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range.
Trent was drafted by the Kings in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft before being traded to the Trail Blazers. After three seasons in Portland, Trent joined the Raptors in a deal for Norman Powell.
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(Photo: Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images)