For someone who has been nothing short of terrific when it comes to big moments on the international stage, it is always surprising to see just how hard Dennis Schroder can stumble in the NBA Playoffs. The Cleveland Cavaliers got to see that up close, learning what the Los Angeles Lakers did in 2023.
Monday night saw the Cavaliers season officially meet its end following a lopsided 130-93 loss to the New York Knicks in Game 4. The sweep was complete and Cleveland is suddenly hurling toward an offseason of uncertainty.
One question they may be asking themselves: How on earth do we justify paying Schroder more than $30 million over the next two years following this playoff run?
That concern is exactly why the Lakers did not even dream of forking over money to the German point guard during the offseason that followed the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Los Angeles let the Toronto Raptors fall on that sword. The Cavaliers are not so fortunate. After acquiring Schroder and his deal before the trade deadline, they may be stuck with him and his playoff shortcomings moving forward.
Dennis Schroder's untimely playoff woes resurfaced yet again
Schroder has enjoyed some highs in the postseason. The playoff experience with him is not always dreadful. 2017 and 2025 offer two examples of commendable runs from the veteran guard. For what it is worth, those were also brief six-game experiences both times.
Unfortunately for the Cavaliers and Lakers, consistency has not always been Schroder's friend. His teams have suffered for that in the process.
In 15.9 minutes per game during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, Schroder averaged 5.5 points, shooting 38.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc, 1.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. For those in Cleveland, believe it or not, it actually could have been worse.
When Schroder was in Los Angeles for the 2023 playoff run to the Western Conference Finals, Schroder had a much bigger role than the one he was given with the Cavaliers. The former Lakers guard played 26.1 minutes a night. His production was lackluster.
Schroder averaged 7.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists for the Lakers in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Similarly to this run for the Cavaliers, there were a few performances that sold you on the idea of continuing to feature him. Eventually, it comes back to bite every time.
Schroder was only getting 11.3 minutes per game before his breakout game of the postseason against the Raptors in Game 5 of the first round. The Cavs backup delivered a crucial 19 points off the bench, tipping the scales at a pivotal moment for Cleveland.
In the 12 appearances that followed, Schroder saw an uptick in playing time. Suddenly, his number jumped up to 16.9 minutes per game. Unfortunately for him and the Cavaliers, he did nothing with that added time. The Cavaliers guard scored 4.8 points per game on 32.7 percent from the field. Yikes.
Teams only sell themselves on the Dennis Schroder experience for so long before understanding why the previous franchise chose to move on. The Lakers came to terms with that back in 2023. Now, the Cavaliers must wrestle with the thought.
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