After the first five games of his career with the Lakers, his third NBA team, it sure looked like point guard Dennis Schroder was a steal for the purple-and-gold, as he averaged 17.6 points, 5.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds, shooting 50.7% from the field and 38.9% from the 3-point line.
But since then, well, it has not gone so well for Schroder. And the certainty that he would sign a contract extension with the team, for which he is eligible beginning on February 16, is now a bit shaky, possibly altering the future of the franchise.
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The Lakers look HORRIBLE and can anybody find out what the hell is going on with Dennis Schroder?!
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) January 29, 2021
Since those scorching first five games, Schroder has averaged 12.4 points, shooting 39.1% from the field and 27.8% from the 3-point line in the team’s next 17 games.
Schroder was acquired in November in a deal for Danny Green and the Lakers’ first-round pick. He is in the final year of his contract, paying him $15.5 million. and the Lakers discussed a contract extension with Schroder in December. Under NBA rules, though, the team was limited in what it could offer him, just a two-year, $33 million deal.
Schroder Eligible for $82 Million Extension
That will change in a little more than a week. Starting February 16, the Lakers can give Schroder a deal worth as much as $82 million over four seasons, but their opportunity to offer that deal runs up once this season ends.
Schroder spoke about the possibility of a new contract last month, emphasizing that he wanted only a “fair” deal.
“From the first day, it felt like we have been together for like a month or two,” Schroder said, according to SilverScreenandRoll.com. “The chemistry is amazing. That’s the reason why I think I want to be here long-term, but like I said before, it’s always got to be fair on both ends. If it’s fair, then I ain’t got no problem. It’s going to be great to be here long-term, for sure.”
But what constitutes “fair” for a player who has been a letdown for much of the season after the strong start? He is averaging 13.6 points, his lowest since his third NBA season. He is shooting 42.1%, the third-worst mark in his eight-year career, and 30.6% from the 3-point line, also third-worst.
The Lakers expect those numbers to come up, but if Schroder, who is only 27, remained mired in this slump, the team will have a difficult decision on its hands.
Schroder Could Eventually be a Lakers Trade Chip
It is probable that the Lakers will give Schroder a contract even if his numbers do not recover quickly. When the Lakers traded for him, it was with the intention of signing him, at the very least, to give themselves a trade chip going forward.
That was also the logic behind the contract extension given to Kyle Kuzma in the offseason. At $13 million per year over three years, Kuzma’s deal is a very tradeable contract once it kicks in next season.
Anthony Davis on Dennis Schroder's fit and potentially getting a contract extension with the Lakers: "He adapted really quickly…" pic.twitter.com/0tmtS8QJZk
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) December 26, 2020
If Schroder is willing to sign for a deal in the $17 million per year range, he, too, could be decent trade bait. With LeBron James ($85 million over two years after this season) and Anthony Davis (four years, $158 million after this season) taking up the bulk of the Lakers’ cap space in the next two years, it is helpful to have midrange contracts on the books should an opportunity for a trade arise.
Ideally, Schroder would get back to form, sign a contract and play well enough that the Lakers do not want to trade him. But he’s got a lot to improve for that to happen.
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