The contract situation of Gary Trent Jr. has caught the NBA world by storm in recent days. The 27-year-old recently signed a four-year, $64 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, prompting the NBA to open an official investigation into the matter.
Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari has now weighed in on the matter.
John Calipari Shares Take on Apron Era Amid Gary Trent Jr. Controversy
The media scrutiny and controversy surrounding the deal arose as fans were stunned that Trent was given such a big pay rise and multi-year contract after averaging just 8.1 points, 1.2 assists, and 1.0 rebounds last season. This marked his lowest points average since his rookie year with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2018/19.
Some suspect the Bucks may have given Trent a big pay rise after handshake promises with his agents convinced him to take a pay cut in previous years.
Trent had initially joined the Bucks on a one-year minimum contract in 2024, before signing a two-year, $7.5 million extension in 2025.
Calipari believes that deals in which players sign minimum contracts before receiving big-money extensions in future years could be a way for teams to get around salary cap rules without incurring penalties.
“I don’t begrudge somebody saying, ‘No, I earned it.’ I don’t begrudge,” Calipari told Stefan Bondy. “But I’m saying it’s kinda neat, Because I’m about team. And that means – I care about myself and my family, but I also care about this team. What’s the common ground? What’s the middle ground? I got to give up a little bit?”
I spoke with John Calipari a couple days ago and he brought up an old well-known tale about the Gary Trent Jr. situation happening before, without punishment from the NBA:
In 1994, the Suns had just $1 million under the cap and used it to sign Danny Manning. It was a shake-hand… https://t.co/vxrdo19qWy
— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) July 17, 2026
The new collective bargaining agreement introduced strict financial thresholds to curb spending. Called the “apron era,” this measure aims to restrict high-paying teams from making roster moves if they cross a certain threshold.
There exists a clause that prohibits teams and players from negotiating a “prior agreement” on terms for a new contract before the free agency period begins. The rule is designed to prevent salary cap circumvention.
It remains to be seen whether the NBA’s investigation will result in punishment for the Bucks, who were above the second apron when they signed Trent in 2024.
MORE: IShowSpeed Pauses World Cup Duties to Link Up With LeBron James at Fanatics Fest
The Trent deal is not the only one being investigated by the NBA at the moment; the league is also looking into the contract of Kawhi Leonard with the Los Angeles Clippers. Reports claim the Clippers used a third-party company to pay additional money to the two-time NBA champion to circumvent the salary cap.
The first high-profile instance of the NBA conducting such an investigation occurred in 2000, when the league discovered that the Minnesota Timberwolves had promised Joe Smith a big-money payout in exchange for signing a minimum contract with the team. The NBA voided Smith’s contract as punishment for the Timberwolves.
