The Los Angeles Lakers surprised just about every fan when they signed Dennis Schroder to bolster their backcourt rotation. Of course, Schroder was with the Lakers in 2020-21 and famously rejected an $84 million extension from the franchise before signing a $5.9 million with the Celtics the following summer.
While the move was surprising for fans, it likely wasn’t all that shocking to the organization itself, as Schroder recently revealed he had been in talks with Los Angeles for three months. That puts into question the team’s entire offseason.
At face value, it understandable why the Lakers brought Schroder back.
While he’s no longer the player who generated Sixth Man of the Year buzz with Oklahoma City the season before he joined the Lakers, he’s good for around 14 points and 5.0 assists per game while shooting the three at league average. Anything to take pressure off LeBron James on the offensive end, right?
But what exactly incentivized LA to run it back with Schroder? The LA Times’ Dan Woike got to the bottom of it and the answer makes little sense.
The Lakers sign Dennis Schroder, their plans for small ball, what they liked about his attitude and what it means (and doesn’t) for Westbrook https://t.co/2sGfLuGX74
— Dan Woike (Click the pic ⬇️ to read) (@DanWoikeSports) September 17, 2022
Why exactly did the Lakers bring back Dennis Schroder?
Here’s what Woike said of the Schroder signing.
"Sources familiar with the decision to add Schroder said his attitude this summer playing for the German national team in the European championships, where he’s averaged more than 21 points and seven assists, made the Lakers comfortable with bringing him back into the organization. Multiple sources cited the success Dwight Howard had with the 2019-20 championship team as an example of a player’s successful return to the organization with a new approach they hope can be mirrored with Schroder."
Our problem isn’t with Schroder’s performance in the European Championships. The veteran guard balled out and deserves praise for helping lead Germany to the Bronze medal. Hoping he’ll parlay that into a strong 2022-23 season isn’t farfetched.
What is farfetched, though, is likening Schroder’s return to the Lakers to Dwight Howard’s surprise redemption tour in 2019-20. For starters, Howard played a ridiculously small role on that championship team. He averaged 18.9 minutes and 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 69 games (two starts).
Howard’s rim protection and energy provided a spark off the bench, but let’s remember he was a last-ditch signing after DeMarcus Cousins tore his ACL less than two months before the season started. The Lakers were desperate for a center.
RT TO WELCOME BACK DENNIS SCHRODER TO THE LAKERS! pic.twitter.com/umaiAhnKLW
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) September 16, 2022
Schroder is just one of several backcourt pieces. He’s enjoyed more success coming off the bench relative to starting, but nobody knows how the rotation will shake out. The front office is essentially throwing a bunch of puzzle pieces at the wall and hoping they’ll stick. That’s nothing like the Howard move.
We actually like the Schroder signing, but the motivation behind the move is a reach at best by the front office. Noting Schroder’s history with head coach Darvin Ham and Russell Westbrook would’ve been a much easier sell.
Dennis Schroder’s comments make Lakers’ decisions look even worse
The Los Angeles Lakers have made some interesting decisions his summer and those decisions look even worse now after Dennis Schroder's comments.