Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. opts in to final year of contract

TORONTO – Shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. will opt into the final year of his contract with the Toronto Raptors, the team confirmed on Tuesday.

Trent’s player option for the 2023-24 season is worth US$18.5-million. Reports say the guard and the Raptors are working on an extension.

The 24-year-old Trent averaged 17.4 points a game and shot 36.9 per cent from three-point range in 2022-23.

Those numbers were down from his strong 2021-22 campaign, when he averaged 18.3 points a game and shot 38.3 per cent from three.

Trent played his first two-and-a-half NBA seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers before being acquired by the Raptors in a trade that sent Norm Powell to Oregon.

He signed a three-year, $51.8-million contract with the Raptors before the 2021-22 season.

Point guard Fred VanVleet and centre Jakob Poeltl are the Raptors’ remaining key unrestricted free agents.

VanVleet declined his $22.8-million player option earlier this month.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2023.