After serving to the Portland Path Blazers attain the Western Convention Finals in 2018-19, can teammates Damian Lillard and Gary Trent Jr. reunite on the again finish lastly win a title with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024-25? To be honest, Trent wasn’t a giant a part of that staff, as he was only a second-round draft decide on the time, having solely appeared in 15 regular-season video games.
That’s the query Bucks followers in all places are asking. The Path Blazers traded eight-time All-Star Lillard to the Bucks on the finish of the 2023 offseason, “bettering” a perennial Jap Convention contender with a mediocre 49-33 document and a second straight first-round exit. However Milwaukee retooled with some savvy offseason strikes, chief amongst them the membership’s means to signal Trent, a free agent after three lackluster years with the Toronto Raptors, to a surprisingly below-market veteran minimal contract this summer season.
In a brand new reader’s letter, Eric Nehm of The Athletic The staff determined to amass Trent, its new starter for a veteran beginning 5. The 6-foot-10 participant now joins Lillard, former three-time All-Star ahead Khris Middleton, eight-time All-Star and two-time MVP energy ahead Giannis Antetokounmpo, and former All-Star Brook Lopez.
With Patrick Beverley, Jae Crowder and Malik Beasley now out, the Bucks have reconfigured their roster by including Trent, defensive again Delon Wright and defensive finish Taurean Prince. Trent will substitute Beasley in Milwaukee’s beginning 5, and he’ll be anticipated to supply extra ball-handling talents along with off-the-ball taking pictures for the membership — however he’ll even be an enormous improve over Beasley in one other key division: protection.
“Since Antetokounmpo turned a famous person, the participant the Bucks have invested in probably the most at guard tends to be able to placing up good numbers,” Nehm wrote. “Malcolm Brogdon, Donte DiVincenzo, Wesley Matthews, Grayson Allen and Beasley all had good seasons on the place, so Trent could have an excellent alternative to do the identical. The largest probability to enhance on the place, nonetheless, will come from the opposite finish. Beginning subsequent to Lillard, Trent must defend the perfect offensive risk at guard as Beasley did final season. Trent’s earlier saves counsel he could have the defensive propensity to outperform Beasley on the place.”
That mentioned, Beasley nonetheless had a strong season earlier than his second straight disappointing playoff efficiency (he was additionally a dud with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023). The 6-foot-4 wing averaged 11.3 factors whereas taking pictures .443/.413/.714 (that 41.3% three-point share got here on a excessive quantity of 6.9 triple makes an attempt per night time), 3.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.7 steals per night time.
Final yr with the Raptors, Trent averaged 13.7 factors on a .426/.393/.771 batting common, 2.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 71 video games (41 begins). The 25-year-old is making his third skilled look. He was drafted by Portland in 2018 out of Duke, and as he started to blossom in 2020-21, he was traded to the Raptors midseason.
Extra Path Blazers: NBA knowledgeable predicts Blazers will begin season with 5 starters
