4 Former Duke Players JJ Redick Can Bring to Lakers This Offseason
By Cem Yolbulan
Gary Trent Jr.
Another former Duke shooting guard who is a free agent this summer is Gary Trent Jr. The sharpshooter had a promising start to his NBA career despite being a second-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. After a few successful seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, Trent Jr. has been with the Toronto Raptors since 2021, establishing himself as a solid scoring option.
Similar to Kennard, Trent Jr. can also be a defensive liability. Even though he has decent size and athleticism for a shooting guard, he has struggled to be a consistent defensive option on that end. Therefore, he has been more utilized as a sixth-man throughout his career and has thrived in that role thanks to his high-level shooting, scoring, and playmaking ability.
In the 2023-24 season, Trent shot 39.3% from three and averaged 13.7 points per game. He is not the most adept finisher or two-point shooter, therefore struggling with efficiency. However, as a three-point shooter who can thrive next to LeBron James, he is a solid option in free agency.
At age 25, Trent also has more upside than some of the other names on this list. Depending on the type of contract he will require in free agency, the Lakers should consider signing him to a multi-year deal since his skill set will always be in demand, and he can be traded at any given time.
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