Former Duke basketball player now risking millions of dollars

A member of the Duke basketball brotherhood is banking on an expanded role.

Former Duke basketball sharpshooter Gary Trent Jr. is set to earn $1,663,861 with the Portland Trail Blazers this season, his third in the league after going No. 37 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft following a solid one-and-done season in Durham.

But the 21-year-old has opted not to leave himself any guaranteed moolah beyond his upcoming campaign.

Rather, by declining the option to negotiate an extension to his contract that could have been worth a total of $53.76 million from 2021-22 through 2024-25, Trent Jr. is taking a risk. He will become a restricted free agent in the summer, with the potential to secure an even larger bag at that time.

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As Trent Jr. told the media this week leading up to Portland’s 2020-21 season debut at home against the Utah Jazz on Dec. 23, his eyes are set on the task at hand:

“Right now, I’m focused on heading into the season…I’m not really worried about [my contract]. Going into the season, going into a great start, and everything is gonna take care of itself.”

The Duke basketball product has good reason to bet on himself

Last season, after averaging a measly 2.7 points while appearing in only 15 games for the Blazers as a rookie, Gary Trent Jr. significantly boosted his contributions. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound guard averaged 8.9 points and 21.8 minutes in 61 regular-season games while knocking down 41.8 percent of his 3-point attempts.

And across the team’s eight seeding games inside the Orlando bubble, Trent Jr. took his game up yet another notch. In helping Portland secure the No. 8 seed — before losing to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs — the Minnesota native averaged 16.9 points in 34.1 minutes while shooting a blistering 50.7 percent from deep.

Now, it doesn’t look as if Trent Jr., who now has two fellow one-year Blue Devils by his side in Harry Giles and Rodney Hood, has lost any shooting touch during the brief offseason. On Friday, in the 2020-21 squad’s first preseason game, the Dukie poured in 18 points while going 6-for-13 from the field, including a 3-for-5 clip from downtown, and 3-for-3 from the charity stripe.

Barring injury, Trent Jr.’s money 3-ball alone should equate to his contract gamble paying off.

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more on Gary Trent Jr. plus other Duke basketball news and views.