Los Angeles Lakers: 3 players with the most to prove in final month

3. Dennis Schroder

Dennis Schroder definitely has the most to prove on the Los Angeles Lakers in this final month of the season. Schroder turned down a four-year, $84 million contract from the Lakers and now has to prove that he is worth even more than that.

This is mere speculation, but I would assume that Schroder is aiming for that $100 million mark. If he was looking for $88 million then he probably would have said yes to $84 million, but that is merely conjecture.

You could make the case that Schroder is not even playing like an $84 million player. While he has been better with LeBron injured, he has not been that great of a fit on the Lakers. Schroder is one of those examples of players who are their best when they can be the focal point and have a high usage rate.

The higher the usage rate, the more likely that Schroder has good numbers. The perfect example is this stretch while the stars are hurt.

But if Dennis Schroder has the highest usage rate on the team then that probably means that the team is not very good. I was very high on Schroder after his season with the Thunder last year but now I just do not see the fit with LeBron and AD.

He is a talented player and he helps the Lakers but I would not pay him $20 million per season for four seasons. Let’s not forget that it was not that long ago that Atlanta was willing to part ways with him in a Carmelo Anthony salary dump.

Schroder has to prove that he is not crazy for turning down that contract offer from the Los Angeles Lakers. He has a lot to prove to Rob Pelinka and the other NBA GMs.