Dennis Schroder shares shocked reaction to Warriors trade announcement after just settling in Brooklyn
The Golden State Warriors made the first of what could be a string of big moves this season.
They acquired veteran point guard Dennis Schroder from the Brooklyn Nets, giving them another scoring guard and playmaking boost.
Schroder entered the season as a potential trade candidate, given his status as a veteran and the fact that the Nets would likely look to get younger and more draft assets.
However, as much as people around the league expected him to be on the move, he recently admitted to being blindsided by it:
“When my agent first called me I was shocked. I liked my situation in Brooklyn. We just got settled in the house. Shipped everything over unpacked everything,” Schroder told the media.
He's now going back to California's warm weather, and he could have a significant role right out of the gate.
Dennis Schroder could start for the Warriors
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Warriors intend Schroder to join their starting lineup right away:
“I’m told the Warriors expect Schroder to start alongside Steph Curry in the backcourt, being able to play point guard, alleviating the ball handling, playmaking, scoring around Steph Curry and Draymond Green," Charania said on Monday's "NBA Today."
“That’s a reason why they went out and got him and the reason why Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Steve Kerr all advocated for his acquisition,” Charania added.
Coach Steve Kerr hinted at something similar, stating that Schroder will be huge for them in the 'non-Steph minutes,' and that he's going to help their star point guard alleviate some of the playmaking burden:
“We need to take some of the burden off Steph. He’s had to take on, I think, an abnormal load this year of responsibility offensively,” Kerr said, adding, “What we’ve missed is another pick-and-roll player so that Steph doesn’t have to run so much pick-and-roll all game and wear himself down.”
The Warriors started the season with a bang but have struggled to keep that momentum going. Curry has admittedly struggled with a knee injury, and Kerr continues to tweak his lineups in search of answers, even briefly sending Draymond Green to the bench.
Schroder is a proven veteran in the league with experience as a starter or coming off the bench, and while he's not the superstar they've reportedly been looking for, he's going to give their offense a huge boost right away.