3 teams that should target Dennis Schroder | 2021 NBA Free Agency
Dennis Schroder has been dominating the headlines of late due to both his stellar performances on the court and the speculation surrounding his contract extension talks with the LA Lakers.
Schroder apparently turned down a contract worth $84 million that would have seen him be a Laker for the next four years, as per Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
The former OKC Thunder star is averaging 15.4 points, 5.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game this season, which led to the Lakers wanting to extend their partnership with him.
It was a surprising move by Dennis Schroder, though, as he has claimed many times this season that he wanted to be a part of the Lakers roster for as long as possible. On top of that, Schroder was looking for a deal that would pay him $20 million a year, and this deal offered by the Lakers did meet those requirements.
3 teams that should look to acquire Dennis Schroder in the free agency
Dennis Schroder's future is now up in the air as no new negotiations have taken place between him and the LA Lakers. Due to this, other teams in the NBA have started showing their interest in acquiring his services, in case he does depart in free agency.
On that note, we take a look at three teams that should look to sign Dennis Schroder should he leave the Lakers at the end of the season.
#1 LA Clippers
The LA Clippers were in dire need of a point guard this season and shortlisted Lonzo Ball as a solid option to replace the misfiring Patrick Beverley. However, to acquire Ball, they would have had to involve a third team as well, and to avoid that hassle, they turned their attention to veteran Rajon Rondo.
While Rondo is a solid acquisition for them, he isn't a player who would help them in the long run for sure. With the Clippers short on draft picks for the future, they could look to trade him next season. That said, signing Dennis Schroder would be the ideal option for them via free agency.
Schroder is currently 27 and is having one of the best seasons of his career playing for their rivals, the LA Lakers. Not only will he give them a solid edge offensively, he will help them to a great extent defensively as well due to his stellar work ethic.
#2 Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors and the LA Lakers could have made the headlines on this year's NBA trade deadline if the two had agreed to the Kyle Lowry trade. However, the Lakers were reluctant to let go of their young asset Talen Horton-Tucker, which saw meant the deal fell through.
As per reports, though, the Lakers were willing to include Dennis Schroder in the trade package, which was surprising considering how good he has been for them. Nevertheless, Kyle Lowry is likely to depart in the free agency, which will see the point guard position on the Raptors roster vacant next season.
In that case, Schroder could be an ideal replacement for Lowry and could combine with Fred VanVleet to lead the Raptors to new heights again.
#3 Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls have been on the hunt for a solid point guard to partner star player Zach LaVine for the longest time. At the moment, Lonzo Ball appears to be their primary target, but as per the latest reports by Evan Massey, they are considering Dennis Schroder as an option as well.
Dennis Schroder would prove to be a great fit for them considering how sound he is on both ends of the floor. He can take up the role of a legitimate 3rd shooter behind Vucevic and LaVine, while also giving them a boost on the defensive end. He is shooting at 43.3% from the field this season, while also managing to sneak in 1.2 steals per game.
Also read: 5 teams that have improved the most since the All-Star break | NBA season 2020-21