3 teams that could steal Gary Trent Jr. away from the Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors have a bit of housekeeping to take care of in the fast-approaching 2024 free agency period. Of course, at the forefront of the Raptors’ concerns is to re-sign their promising young asset in Immanuel Quickley, who showed a lot of star potential since moving over from the Knicks to “the Six”. But aside from IQ, another one of their starting five players is due for a new contract: shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. 

What should Toronto do with Gary Trent Jr.?

GTJ has seen a fair share of highs and lows in his Raptors career thus far. Trent Jr. was the primary asset acquired in a Portland deal that sent long-time fan favorite Norman Powell to the Blazers at the 2021 trade deadline. Powell was in the midst of his best statistical season to date, but Raptors fans had a lot to look forward to in the arrival of a young, up-and-coming prospect like Gary Trent Jr. Needless to say, GTJ found a role for himself in the Raptors offense immediately. 

In his first 17 games with the Toronto Raptors, Trent Jr. averaged just over 16 points per game, with a decent 35 percent three-point shooting efficiency. Gary had a few hot streaks during this initial stretch too, with a breakout performance in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he scored a career-high 44 points on 7-of-9 of his three-pointers.

GTJ looked to be on an upward trajectory as a member of the Toronto Raptors, but sadly, Trent Jr. seems to have largely hit his ceiling as a player. He is still rather young at 25 years old, but Trent Jr. looks to be stuck at his current archetype of a streaky shooter. Seeing Trent Jr. in a Raptors uniform for over four seasons now, you know he can pop off for an unexpected 20-30+ points on any given night, but he can also go cold from deep and be a non-factor. 

Nevertheless, Gary Trent Jr.‘s play style is a much-valued asset for the Raptors squad, given their three-point shooting woes. With that being said, there will also be other teams across the league vying for his services this offseason. Despite his inconsistencies, GTJ should see a fair amount of offers from teams who are also lacking in the three-point shooting department or desire a quality offensive player to bolster their depth. If you’re the Toronto Raptors, these are the three teams to be fearful of when it comes to the Gary Trent Jr. sweepstakes.