Although floor general Dennis Schroder had an impressive 2019-20 campaign in which he was runner-up in Sixth Man of the Year voting, things turned out differently during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. While he was not a total disappointment, Schroder proved to be an inconsistent player in 2020-21. There is no getting around that truth.
For what it is worth, Schroder’s scoring averages dipped once he joined the purple and gold. After registering nearly 19 points per contest throughout the previous campaign, the German native tallied 15.4 points per game for Los Angeles. His field goal percentage dropped from .469 to .437 as well, whereas his three-point shooting percentage regressed from .385 to .335.
Conversely, Schroder did put on display his potential as a playmaker. The point guard averaged 5.8 dimes per night in 2020-21, higher than what he managed to do in either of his campaigns with Oklahoma City. However, his turnover ratio slightly increased from last year to this one (2.6 to 2.7).
In addition, Lakers’ fans are still having a tough time forgiving Schroder about how poorly he played against the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs. Given that he demanded to be a starter prior to even suiting up for the team, his goose egg in Game 5 of the series could not have been more untimely.
However, it is difficult to not further reflect on his public demand to be the Lakers’ starting point guard. Schroder put himself on a lofty pedestal and was not afraid to speak his mind. Better yet, he was doing it right in front of a franchise that was fresh off a record-tying 17th championship at the time.
While it was rather gutsy of Schroder, indeed, he clearly turned enough heads in the earlier stages of the season. As R.P. Salao of ClutchPoints pointed out, the Lakers were willing to offer him a lucrative $84 million extension to stay with the team long-term.
Despite the aforementioned inconsistency, one cannot blame the Los Angeles Lakers for putting such an offer on the table.
Dennis brings a certain tenacity to the hardwood and likewise did so in his stint with the Lakers. Moreover, it is worth noting that Schroder helped hold the fort down while LeBron James and Anthony Davis were sidelined with major injuries.
To some surprise, though, the wiry point guard refused to sign his name on the dotted line. It was ultimately Schroder’s choice to reject the Lakers’ contract offer, but it is safe to assume he is eating his words.
There is no denying that Schroder possesses talent. He is a creative shot maker and proved himself as a disruptive defender at times. However, the gamble he took on himself is one he is likely regretting since he remains unsigned as of when this was written.
He had his chance to rake in some dough. He really did but the Lakers have now made it abundantly clear who their starting point guard of the future is by trading for Russell Westbrook.
Let alone Westbrook, Schroder is in a tough spot at the time being for another reason. The Lakers already have a handful of other guards on the roster who are expected to compete for playing time in Talen Horton-Tucker, Wayne Ellington, Kent Bazemore, Malik Monk, and Kendrick Nunn. Therefore, it is hard to believe Schroder would be okay with accepting a diminished role.
As Jacob Rude of Silver Screen and Roll said, a lot of it boils down to this when it comes to Schroder. He certainly “valu himself more than the team does,” which has led to his current predicament. Schroder still could have been a rather wealthy man albeit the Lakers did not offer him the nine-digit contract he so desperately craves.
However, the 27-year-old took an entirely different route. He chose to prioritize himself in lieu of having a more team-focused approach and it has come back to haunt him.
In all likelihood, the international player will eventually find a suitor for his services. Be that as it may, Schroder is going to need to have more realistic demands in order for a team to swoop in.
Time will tell what occurs with the German baller, but one thing is for certain. He missed a golden opportunity to remain in Los Angeles for the long haul and may never get such an offer again. Nevertheless, the Lakers have found their man in triple-double maestro Russell Westbrook and look ready to reclaim the throne.