Following the signings of the top three free agent point guards (Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry, and Mike Conley), the next tier of point guards were expected to receive lucrative contracts from those who missed out on one of the older All-Stars on the market. Dennis Schröder is part of that group, and after turning down a four-year, $84 million agreement from the Lakers last season, many wondered if he had done enough to increase his value enough to command a higher free-agent offer.
Schröder had a good but unspectacular first season with the Lakers, averaging 15.4 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game on 43.7/33.5/84.8 shooting splits that were more akin to his breakout season with the Thunder in 2019-20. His defense is still a plus (when he’s on a good team and engaged), thus his free agency value was likely to be determined by whether a team (or teams) believed he could restore his shooting efficiency with them.
We discovered on Tuesday that Schröder will be joining the Boston Celtics on a one-year deal worth slightly under $6 million.
In recent days, Boston has been mentioned as a possible landing location for Schröder. After trading Kemba Walker, the team could need someone who can provide good point guard minutes, and while Schröder may not be a long-term solution, he presents a solid alternative to line up with Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum. Schröder, on the other hand, will have the opportunity to play for a team on a one-year deal and prove that he is deserving of a lengthier contract next summer.
