Raptors' Gary Trent Jr. reaches starter criteria, increasing his qualifying offer

Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. has reached the starter criteria in his contract, jumping his qualifying offer from $2.1M to $4.7M, per Bobby Marks of ESPN. It also increases his cap hold by the same amount.

Trent reached that threshold by starting against Washington on Thursday. The starter criteria requires an RFA-to-be to start at least half of his team’s games in the two seasons leading up to his free agency.

He started only eight of 61 regular-season games with Portland last season. He made 24 starts in 41 games with the Trail Blazers this season before he was traded. He’s now made 13 starts in 15 games with Toronto.

It would be a shock if the Raptors didn’t extend the QO to Trent, but they could have to match a lucrative offer sheet for him in restricted free agency. Trent averaged 15.0 points with Portland this season on 39.7% shooting from deep. He has averaged 15.9 points on 36.4% shooting from deep in his first 14 games with Toronto.