The Golden State Warriors have addressed their frontcourt with recent moves this week, most notably drafting Yaxel Lendeborg with the 11th overall pick and re-signing Al Horford on a new two-year contract.
They do need to add some shooting though and solidify their backcourt depth around Stephen Curry. Fortunately for them, a valuable option has just fallen within reach after Gary Trent Jr.'s decision to opt out of his player option with the Milwaukee Bucks and test free agency, as reported by NBA insider Chris Haynes on Friday.
Gary Trent Jr. could be Stephen Curry's next backcourt partner
This is hardly a surprising move considering the Bucks just traded franchise superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat at the start of the week, and are now headed towards a significant rebuild as a result.
Even if Trent can't generate much more than the $3.9 million option on the open market, he'd quite clearly prefer to compete for a playoff contender next season. That's where the Warriors could come into play as an option for the veteran sharpshooter.
Golden State aren't in the same stratosphere of other contenders around the league, but the return of Horford, the likely returns of Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis, and even the selection of a 23-year-old Lendeborg, proves they're still attempting to make a deep playoff run next season.
Sources: Milwaukee Bucks sharpshooter Gary Trent Jr. has become a desirable target for teams coveting knockdown shooting to bolster roster. He is expected to decline $3.9M player option to hit open market.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 26, 2026
The most enticing element for Golden State to offer, in comparison to other playoff hopefuls, is the promise of a signifant role in a system that absolutely prioritizes Trent's number one skill -- 3-point shooting.
Depending on what the frontcourt looks like, Trent could have claims to a starting shooting guard role next to Curry in the backcourt. He's a better shooter than Brandin Podziemski and De'Anthony Melton, the latter of which might be off the team anyway.
Steve Kerr and the Warriors might have to prioritize that skill over any other, especially if Green is still in a starting role as a player who isn't respected by opposing defenses from beyond the arc.
Gary Trent Jr. may still be available on a cheap contract
Trent is coming off a somewhat underwhelming season where he averaged 8.1 points and shot 36% from 3-point range -- the worst numbers of his career since his rookie season with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2018-19.
But that's just what might make him available on a minimum or near-minimum contract. Given he's only 27-years-old, there's reason to believe that this past season with a dysfunctional Bucks squad was just a blip on the radar, and that he can return to being a double-digit scorer as a 40% 3-point shooter.
Trent certainly wouldn't be the best backcourt partner Curry has ever had, but he could prove an ideal and incredibly valuable addition if he's on a cheap contract and can get back to what he delivered in the years prior to this most recent campaign.
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