Gary Trent Jr.’s father says son was sad and depressed playing in Portland

For the second time in a matter of weeks, a father of a Toronto Raptor is making headlines.

Following Eric Flynn’s vehement defence of his son Malachi in late January, Gary Trent, father of Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr., has shed some light on the latter’s personal struggles in Portland during an appearance on the "Raptors Show with Will Lou."

“My son played with so much pain, and my son was so depressed and so down and so sad in Portland, that watching him play actually used to hurt me,” said the former Raptors forward. “I knew my son wasn’t feeling himself, wasn’t playing his game, he was under a lot of negative pressure [from] negative statements from front-office people.”

Trent, who had a brief stint with the Raptors after being traded from Portland in 1998, also detailed how much better his son is doing now with his role in Toronto.

“When I come and visit my son now in Toronto, he’s in a much happier place mentally, spiritually, and he smiles more,” he said. “He’s looking forward to practice, he’s looking forward to the games, and I can see the love for the game blossoming within him again.”

Trent Jr. was acquired from the Portland Trailblazers ahead of the 2021 NBA trade deadline in a deal that sent guard Norman Powell the other way. Powell, who signed a five-year, $90-million deal with the Blazers in the offseason, was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.

Trent Sr. did not hold back on Portland’s mismanagement.

“They don’t really have a plan, and I don’t think they’ve made the right decisions over there,” the 47-year-old said. “My son is five, six years younger than Norm, which means he’s got a lot more time and a lot more upside, so to me, the Raptors won that deal, and God bless that my son won on that deal to get in a better opportunity.”

In December, the Trail Blazers fired president of basketball operations and general manager Neil Olshey after an investigation into allegations that he created a toxic workplace. According to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes, multiple employees said they had grievances with his treatment of staff, which included verbal abuse.

They also faced backlash last summer over the hiring of head coach Chauncey Billups, who was accused of rape in 1997, and their inability to build around superstar Damian Lillard, who underwent abdominal surgery on Jan. 13 and has no timetable for a return. Portland is currently 11th place in the Eastern Conference with a 21-33 record.

Trent Jr. has been a true revelation for a resurgent Raptor team, averaging career highs in points (18.1), rebounds (2.7) and assists (2.0), while also sitting among the league-leaders in steals and deflections.

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