"Planned before I got traded": Dennis Schroder hilariously shares image of Raptors cake for son's birthday made before move to Nets
The Toronto Raptors surprised many by trading veteran point guard Dennis Schroder to the Brooklyn Nets during Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. It appears that the unexpected deal caught Schroder off guard as well, resulting in a comical moment during his son’s birthday celebration.
On Sunday, Schroder shared an image of his son, Dennis Jr.’s, fifth birthday party to his Instagram stories. While Dennis Jr. was wearing his father’s No. 17 Nets jersey, the side of his cake featured a big Raptors logo.
Schroder humorously said in the caption that the party was planned ahead of the deadline.
“Yes, we planned before I got traded,” Schroder said.
Nonetheless, based on the photos Schroder shared from the party, his son appeared to enjoy himself.
Dennis Schroder on struggles of being traded midseason
Before getting traded, Dennis Schroder was in the middle of his first season with Toronto after signing a two-year, $25.4 million contract in the offseason. He was brought in to fill the leadership void of star point guard Fred VanVleet, who departed for the Houston Rockets in free agency.
During his brief tenure with the Raptors, Schroder served a key role as a playmaker and complementary scorer for the young team. Over 51 games, he averaged 13.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.5 3-pointers per game on 44.2% shooting.
Given his veteran presence and relatively cheap short-term contract, many assumed that Toronto would keep him. Other Raptors veterans like Bruce Brown and Chris Boucher were also more involved in trade rumors, with the team reportedly trying to receive draft compensation.
However, to the surprise of many, Brown and Boucher remained with the Raptors. Meanwhile, Schroder was dealt to Brooklyn for veteran point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, whom Toronto later waived in a cost-cutting move.
Upon being shipped to the Nets, Schroder spoke about the challenges of being traded midseason while having a family. However, he noted that he is always appreciative of the opportunity to play in the NBA.
“I mean, having a family, having three kids, a wife, it’s not easy. But at the end of the day, nothing really changed,” Schroder said. “Of course, I go to a new city, new situation, but at the end of the day, we play basketball for a living, and I’m really extremely grateful for it.”
The 11-year veteran also said that he wants to make a winning impact on the Nets.
“It doesn’t matter what the circumstances are, I just want to win, and having that mentality of doing it as a team,” Schroder said.
The Nets (21-31) sit just 2.5 games ahead of the Raptors (19-34) in the Eastern Conference standings. However, given that they owe their 2024 first-round pick to the Houston Rockets, they are still trying to make a play-in/playoff run.
It remains to be seen if Schroder can be a long-term difference-maker for the franchise. However, he thrived in his debut, recording 15 points, 12 assists and three 3s on 46.2% shooting as Brooklyn defeated the San Antonio Spurs 123-103.
Also Read: Brooklyn Nets' updated depth chart after landing Dennis Schroder at NBA trade deadline