Gary Trent Jr. on returning to Raptors, getting called out by Nick Nurse

Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. discusses his 22-23 campaign, what he values as he could potentially enter free agency and how it felt being called out by Nick Nurse on a few occasions.

Video Transcript

- Again, after Jakob arrived. And is there anything you can kind of take from that, and say, yeah, this worked really well, or [MUTTERING]?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: Like you said, obviously, there are some highs and lows, some good things, some bad things. We didn't accomplish what we wanted to accomplish. So, it can't be a good year for me, in my books. You know, obviously, getting to the playoffs and winning games is the goal, but you know, again, so, another one in the books. Year five is blessed to be here, and be this long in the league, and seem to keep more.

- Gary, you were dealing with some injuries, [MUTTERING] back spasms toward the end of the year. Nick had talked about wanting to get you back for a few games so that you could ramp up. Do you think some of those injuries are playing a part in last night, maybe you weren't up where you wanted to be physically or in a rhythm yet?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: I don't know. I'm sure the medical staff did everything they can to help me prepare to get ready. It was good, again, no matter what's going on out there, whether playing 5 minutes, 17 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes, I'm going to go out there and try to help the team, regardless of what it's going to be. So, that's what it is.

- You mentioned the [MUTTERING] ups and downs. And that lack of consistency in terms of role, maybe starter, bench, bench starter, would that impact your decision in the summer in terms of coming back or not? [MUTTERING]

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: I wouldn't say. Not really. Every year is different. You have different teams. You have different coaches, different game plans, different players you're playing against. Some of the coaches be situational, whether it may be in a game.

But again, free agency wise, again, it's going to be what it's going to be. At the end of the day, I'm going to do what's best for me and my family, obviously, I'm going to talk to our organization. It's a business. So, we're going to see how it goes, but.

- Have you decided whether you're going to opt out again or not?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: I have not given it the time of day yet. You know, obviously, when I sit down and talk to my team, and we go in, and see how everything plays out, go from there.

- All things being equal, would you like to be back or what are your thoughts on the situation as it is now?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: Again, it's going to be what it's going to be. It's a business. I love Toronto. It's been a great time here so far. Restaurants are great. It's a good city. It's a great place to be. So, yeah.

- Any restaurants you want to shout out specifically? Free advertising.

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: [MUTTERING] they show a lot of love. It's a Thai food restaurant. It's pretty good.

- Gary, how did the conversations-- since last night's game, how have your conversations been with the coaching staff in the organization so far, and your teammates as well?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: Honestly, right now, it's just reflecting. Reflecting on what was going on, what transpired. You know, whether it's individual players, whether it's coaching, front office, just anything. Just thoughts and everything on it.

- How has your role been-- your role and growth has been changing [MUTTERING]

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: How has it?

- Yeah, how has your role-- your role has been changing [MUTTERING] your role on the team?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: I would say it changed a little bit. Obviously, in a year starting, going 35 minutes, and not starting, playing about 20 minutes, then guys coming in, and trade, and minutes go down, and just balancing that. And trying to play it, and everybody, not just me, but we're trying to go out there and roll with the punches as best we could to get the goal and reach the goal we were trying to do ahead. You know, but no matter what the road changes, the end game, the end goal doesn't. So, you know, I go out there and continue to make it work.

- Gary, you obviously have dealt with your contract coming up this season, this summer. Trade deadline was crazy for this whole team. Nick had comments about the coaching staff or his future with the team. How do you think all of those things and the conversation sort of off the court played a part in this team's success this season?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: I wouldn't say it really had a big part, but you know, obviously, people are going to say anything, and click-bait, and different type of stuff, and take certain quotes. So, it's going to be what's going to be. You hear it, but obviously, you don't listen to it or gives your thought about it. It just comes with the game.

- You said, though, you're going to make the best decision for you and your family. What are some of your priorities when it comes to choosing a team in free agency? Is it a role? Is it money? Is it comfort when it comes to some of the off-court stuff. Like, what are some of your top of the list priorities?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: You just touched it. I mean, just being comfortable, what the role would be. Obviously, the money. It's a business. Obviously, everything that goes into it. It could be down to family, down to closer to this family member that's sick or something may be going on, anything. You know, and from the time period now til then, a whole bunch could change, anything could change in a blink of an eye for everybody, you included, so.

- As of right now, is one of those more important than the rest?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: Not necessarily. Obviously, you know, you've got certain dreams. You got certain goals and certain things you want to accomplish. And certain places you can do it, certain places you can't do it. So, it just comes with the game. Again, it's a business. So, after taking everything in consideration, just going to see what it's going to be.

- What are those goals for you?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: In myself?

- Yeah, you said some of you, there are goals you want to accomplish.

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: Yeah, there's a whole bunch of goals, obviously, I want to do in this league. I want to be in a first-team defense, make a defensive team, win championships, win MVPs, win everything. I mean, I'm in this game, and trying to compete, and I work hard every day to try to accomplish those things and put myself in a certain position to get those things.

- Pascal was talking earlier about how he never really feels satisfied because he feels like there's always another level to his game. Do you feel like you're kind of in the same line of thinking where you never really feel satisfied with your performance because you always want to get better?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: That has to be a mindset, and if it's not, you're in the wrong business. And you're trying to accomplish the wrong things, you're not in it for the right reasons. If you're not in it to try to continue to grow, and try to continue to get better, and try to elevate and take the next step in no matter what you're doing, you're wasting your time. So, most definitely.

- [MUTTERING] I don't know if you can answer me that. I don't know how much time [MUTTERING] spends watching film, all those things. Yeah, [MUTTERING] I don't know how much time.

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: How much time? Well, it may vary. You know, I watch different things. Obviously, I might watch the team, we plan. I'll even just go to YouTube and turn on certain players. You can watch hours and hours of Kobe highlights, scoring highlights, of his playing highlights, of his post offensive highlights, just everything of many things. You could watch LeBron's chase down blocks. You can watch anything. So, I watch different things on YouTube and just memorized.

Since I was a little kid, been on YouTube and watching different players, different games, how they score, what moves they use in certain periods of time on how many seconds left. Did they get to the left elbow, did they turn around there, just everything. So, there's different stuff you can watch.

And obviously, the same thing as a player as well too. Obviously, as you continue to play, you learn people's tendencies, and you know more of your peers, who you're playing against, and what they can do, or what they can't do, their favorite moves, what they don't like. So, just continue to watch and just watching games, watching YouTube, really, YouTube a lot.

- [MUTTERING] he watched a lot of film of [MUTTERING] he has to watch every night. I don't know if [MUTTERING] to voice their feelings, but to generalize the players. [MUTTERING] more than others.

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: [MUTTERING] you can just do different things to give you an edge, whether it's eating food, eating healthy, eating certain foods that give you energy. You know, again, that's little details. Just how you in this line of work, everybody can do the thing for the most part.

So, it's the little details and little things that you can do to separate yourself, whether it's eating habits, whether it's sleep, whether it's watching film, watching certain moves. Seeing, OK, this guy always pulls up at the right side of the floor, he always goes to the left side. That's how you kind of give yourself an edge.

- Nick has made public comments in the past about certain players needing to play better or do certain things. I think at one point you mentioned your defense.

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: A couple times.

- What is that like for you, for the team? How are those things received when they're not just in behind closed doors, but to us?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: Just, obviously, you just take it on the chin. For me, people use it for different purposes. It may affect them differently. Simply it would just motivate me, to be honest with you.

Again, whatever comments are going to be said, it's going to be said. I'm going to go out there and try to play and help my teammates to any way I can to get a win. But you don't really think about it too much. Obviously, you hear it, you see it. You're probably going to report it. But that's about it.

- Does it-- does it change when it's said to you not to us. It's said to you privately compared to what is said to us publicly?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: That's the thing. Usually, at the time, or most of the time, it's not-- I don't hear it till you hear it. So, I didn't-- I wouldn't know that it was an issue or a problem until you put it out there.

- [MUTTERING] more questions. I don't know if you [MUTTERING]

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: Juancho?

- Yeah. [MUTTERING] play now. What can he play?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: Yeah, Juancho's good. He's not just a movie star. He's a true pro. He knows how to play basketball. I would say he's super solid.

He takes it for real. He's real about his craft. He jokes a lot. He plays around a lot.

I didn't know he jokes a lot. We wrestled sometimes, grabbing each other, almost play fighting. So, he has a certain grit to him. A certain aura, a certain way he carries himself. He is a movie star, so, you know. I just-- that's how I knew he was a movie star too because we was in Miami.

He was at Joe Juice across the hotel getting something to drink. And people was driving, and they were literally stopping their cars and getting out to take photos with him. That's when I knew he was a real movie star, yeah. In Miami. That's in Miami. That was in Miami. It's a big place.

- [MUTTERING]

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: Yeah, that's Miami. They're doing that.

- [MUTTERING] every day or a few days in the week.

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: And I don't talk to him every day. You know, I actually haven't spoke to him. We haven't really had conversations since he left, but you know, I enjoyed him while his time was here. And it was a pleasure to be around him, for sure.

- [MUTTERING] at one point, I believe it was last season, Frank said at one point that he considers you a rock star. Do you feel like you have-- you know, you said that Juancho was a movie star. Do you feel like you carry yourself with that kind of persona?

GARY TRENT JUNIOR: No, man. I just carry myself out here, stay out the way, man. Stay prayed up, man. That's about it. Appreciate y'all. Thanks.