The Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors completed the first big trade of the 2024-25 season when Dennis Schröder made the move to San Francisco on Sunday, Dec. 15. It was a deal that seemed to exclusively impact the teams involved, but the Los Angeles Lakers are learning otherwise.
As a result of the trade that proved it's officially open season for teams to make roster improvements, the Lakers learned that the price of doing business is more affordable than it previously seemed.
Golden State parted with injured guard De'Anthony Melton, Reece Beekman, and three second-round draft picks to land Schröder and a 2025 second-rounder. It was a shockingly limited haul for Brooklyn considering Schröder is an established veteran averaging 18.4 points and 6.6 assists per game.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, some around the NBA believe that the Warriors' acquisition of Schröder has lowered the expected asking price for starting-caliber players in future trades.
"With that said, the Warriors giving up three second-round picks for Schröder, who is having a career year statistically, could signify a shift toward that caliber of player going for multiple second-round picks rather than a first-round pick, according to league sources."
That might be the most promising rumor to come along for a Lakers side that should be reluctant to part with a first-round draft pick based on prior experiences.
Lakers benefit from asking price for starting-caliber players decreasing
The Lakers have reportedly prioritized improving the depth of the roster over pursuing a superstar. It's easy to make the leap from that report to the belief that general manager Rob Pelinka would prefer to hold onto the team's future first-round draft picks.
Buha's report has thus provided the Lakers with reason for optimism, as they could accomplish that goal and still acquire high-quality players.
The reason this news directly impacts the Lakers is the simple fact that they've been burned in the past—and are still feeling the effects of it. They traded first-round draft picks for players such as Russell Westbrook and Schröder himself, only to lose the talent they'd invested in within a season-and-a-half.
The repercussions of those decisions continue to impact the Lakers' salary cap table, rotation, and general ability to field an affordable and adequate supporting cast.
If the Schröder trade has truly set a new standard, then perhaps the Lakers could acquire a potential target such as Marcus Smart or Jonas Valančiūnas without giving up a first-round pick. That would be a dream scenario that could open the door for Los Angeles to complete multiple moves.
If the Lakers are able to add meaningful talent without giving up first-round draft picks, they'll succeed in protecting the future while building for the present.
In the process, Los Angeles would retain the assets it may require to trade for a superstar-caliber player in the future. If that isn't the plan, then it would instead be able to land cost-effective talent via the NBA Draft and potentially develop key players for valuable roles within the rotation.
In either scenario, the Schröder trade may have opened the door for the Lakers to learn from past mistakes and position the franchise to finally thrive in a sustainable manner.