Dennis Schroder remains an NBA free agent as he’s currently participating in EuroBasket 2022 with Germany. There’s no doubt that the 28-year-old remains a very solid talent, and surely plenty of teams will be clamoring for his signature soon.
Before being traded to the Houston Rockets last season, Schroder averaged about 14 points and four assists per game with the Boston Celtics. He’s also only a couple of seasons removed from an excellent campaign coming off the bench for the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he averaged about 19 points, four rebounds, and four assists per game in the 2019-20 season. Schroder is a bucket-getter, but also provides playmaking. These, of course, are two traits every team loves to have off their bench.
Dennis Schroder: Three Ideal Free Agency Landing Spots
Brooklyn Nets
Yes, the Nets are in turmoil now. They traded a star in James Harden last season. In return, Ben Simmons did not suit up a single time. There’s mystery surrounding the future of Kyrie Irving. Then, of course, superstar Kevin Durant publicly requested a trade.
With that being said, the Nets are not totally out of being a solid team. Simmons was an All-Star not too long ago. Patty Mills and Nic Claxton returned. Joe Harris and Seth Curry are still around. They also acquired TJ Warren and Royce O’Neale. Should Irving or Durant, or both, be traded, Brooklyn will likely receive solid players in return.
Adding Schroder to the mix can bode well. Assuming Simmons plays, he’ll be a playmaker. With that being said, his shooting woes are well documented. This means Brooklyn will need another facilitator/shooter at point guard besides Mills. Schroder makes sense for a variety of reasons, but mostly because he can be acquired in free agency.
He’s bounced around the league recently but finds relative success everywhere. Schroder has also played with top teams in the past, so he can help Brooklyn in what should be an unfortunate transition period.
Dallas Mavericks – an Ideal Dennis Schroder Fit
The Mavericks would need some maneuvering to be done to make this work, although the fit is clear. First off, Dallas lost guard Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks this offseason. Brunson shined as a secondary scorer alongside Luka Doncic in the backcourt. Although Tim Hardaway Jr. will be returning from injury, Dallas did little to mitigate the Brunson loss besides drafting Jaden Hardy in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
Based off of Brunson’s performances and growth, a secondary ball handler is a great archetype to start with Doncic. If Dallas were to bring in Schroder, then Spencer Dinwiddie could shift into the starting line-up. This would allow the Mavericks to feature Schroder and Hardaway Jr. off the bench.
As things stand, the Dallas bench doesn’t pack much of a scoring punch outside of Dinwiddie. Being able to shift two scorers to the bench, like Schroder and Hardaway Jr., will completely elevate the potential of this team. Doncic has carried a very heavy load throughout his Mavericks tenure and needs all the help he can get, especially in an increasingly tough Western Conference.
Miami Heat
Miami is always welcoming to talented veterans in search of a ring. Schroder fits that role. Miami has also been on the brink of contention for the last couple of years, but have fallen just short. They made the Finals in 2020 and fell to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals this past season.
Part of the Heat’s struggles in the Conference Finals came due to a lack of top point guard play. Kyle Lowry dealt with injuries and wasn’t his true self after returning. In fact, Lowry didn’t completely look like his Toronto Raptor self with the Heat. Although Lowry is still more than capable of starting, it would be wise for the Heat to bring in depth behind him.
Schroder can join a strong core of backcourt depth including the likes of Tyler Herro (who could be set for a starting role), Victor Oladipo, Gabe Vincent, and Max Strus. Schroder is at the stage of his career where coming off the bench suits him best, and his former Thunder self looked like a fit for Heat Culture.
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