Dennis Schroder of Germany looks on in the EuroBasket 2022 semifinal game against Spain at EuroBasket Arena Berlin in Berlin, Germany, September 16, 2022. /CFP
The Los Angeles Lakers reached an agreement with Dennis Schroder over a one-year, $2.64 million contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic on Friday.
Schroder, 29, became the 14th player on the purple and gold's roster. He and the team's head coach Darvin Ham worked together for five seasons in the Atlanta Hawks between 2013 and 2018.
"We are extremely pleased to welcome Dennis Schroder back to the Lakers," the team's general manager Rob Pelinka said in a statement. "Not only do Dennis and Coach Ham share a player-coach history together, but they also reflect one another's mentality of toughness with an extremely competitive edge. Dennis will add both depth and an on-ball defensive presence to our core at the guard position. He is also a proven scorer and playmaker. We are really excited for Dennis to get to camp and get back to work in L.A. after his highly successful run with his national team this offseason."
Dennis Schroder (#71) of the Boston Celtics penetrates in the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio, November 13, 2021. /CFP
Schroder played for the Lakers in the 2020-21 season and averaged 15.4 points and 5.8 assists in 61 games. He turned down a four-year, $84 million extension offered by the team after the season, but only signed a one-year, $5.89 million contract with the Boston Celtics in the end. He was traded to the Houston Rockets in the middle of the season before becoming a free agent again this summer.
Schroder participated in EuroBasket 2022 on behalf of Germany in September. He has averaged 21.6 points in seven games, leading his national team to the semifinal game before losing to Spain 96-91 on Friday.
Perhaps the above performance persuaded the Lakers that Schroder had improved and could help the team make a difference after two consecutive disappointing seasons. As a result, he was signed. According to Charania, Schroder turned down offers from the Toronto Raptors and the Phoenix Suns to join the purple and gold.
Dennis Schroder (#17) of the los Angeles Lakers penetrates in the game against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, April 26, 2021. /CFP
Perhaps both Schroder and the Lakers should have reconsidered their decision to join hands. Schroder is likely to be the seventh guard on the Lakers' roster. He has never been a reliable defender in his career, nor is he able to switch to other positions due to his height of 1.9 meters and weight of 78 kilograms.
The Lakers ranked 21st in the NBA on defensive rating (113.3) and allowed 115.1 points per game, the third-most among all 30 teams. Schroder's presence is very unlikely to improve the team on this end of the court.
Moreover, despite his great performance on behalf of Germany at EuroBasket 2022, his 3-point shooting remained disappointing at 28.6 percent. His career 3-point rate in the NBA is 33.8 percent and he has never been productive from downtown, where he could only make 1.2 shots. He has been more used to charging the rim or shooting in the middle range off the dribble.
Dennis Schroder (#17) of Germany shoots in the EuroBasket 2022 semifinal game against Spain at EuroBasket Arena Berlin in Berlin, Germany, September 16, 2022. /CFP
It is unlikely, if not impossible, for a player like Schroder to play well alongside today's LeBron James, let alone compete for minutes at point guard with Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley.
Schroder's arrival further aggravated the Lakers' undersize problem. With seven guards on their roster, the team is severely lacking in qualified forwards, let alone depth. As the team's only full-sized options in the two positions, LeBron James turns 38 years old in December; Anthony Davis has been prone to injuries during the last two seasons and slipped a lot on defense.
Unless Wenyen Gabriel and Juan Toscano-Anderson both somehow improve dramatically with their performances, the Lakers' chances of making a difference in the wild Western Conference in the new season won't look better than their record for the last season (33-49, missing the playoffs).