Warriors trade rumors: Steph Curry approved Dennis Schroder's $13M contract could be tossed for 'bigger move'
The Golden State Warriors acquired Dennis Schroder, a player Steph Curry wanted, to tip things off in the midseason trade saga. However, Schroder's stay in the Bay Area may not span for long, even beyond the trade deadline. NBA insider Shams Charania reported hours after the trade on Saturday that the Warriors could toss Schroder's $13 million contract in a bigger move later this season.
The Warriors still have a glaring hole to fill after Jordan Poole and Klay Thompson's departures in 2023 and 2024, respectively. They are hunting for a bonafide All-Star next to Curry, who can be relied upon as the two-time MVP plays out the twilight of his career.
Here's what Charania said about the latest on Schroder's move to Golden State:
"Schroder is someone Stephen Curry, Steve Kerr, Draymond Green all advocated for. They have a lot of respect for him, they're excited about this addition. They've played against him in those Team USA-Germany matches, in the playoffs, over the years."
Schroder is in the middle of one of his best seasons in the league. He is averaging 18.4 points and 6.6 assists and shooting 45.2%, including 38.7% from 3, which is a career-high. He would be the second-best scorer on the Warriors behind Curry. However, that won't stop the Warriors from pursuing a bigger deal by moving him.
"They [Warriors] remain active in the hunt for a star player, and they can aggregate [Dennis] Schroder's contract in a bigger move later this season," Charania reported.
The Warriors didn't have to offload any major assets in the trade to acquire Dennis Schroder, a highly coveted candidate. They shipped three second-rounders and the injured DeAnthon Melton's contract while adding a second-round pick from Brooklyn.
NBA Trade Rumors: Warriors didn't negotiate for Lakers targets amid Dennis Schroder pursuit
The Warriors seemingly wanted a buy-low option on the market for their first move. According to New York Times' Brian Lewis, Golden State never negotiated a deal with Brooklyn for Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, two candidates rumored to be on rivals the Lakers' radar.
Instead, the Warriors only went after Schroder, who they acquired for a much cheaper deal than expected. According to several reporters, Johnson and Finney-Smith would command at least one first-round pick each, making them one of the more costlier targets on the block as top-tier role players.
For the Warriors, retaining their first-round picks along with acquiring Schroder could be significant in their pursuit of a bigger name on the market.