After being an obvious trade target for the Golden State Warriors leading into the eventual deal with the Brooklyn Nets last month, Dennis Schroder’s time with his new team hasn’t gone according to plan.
The awkward fit between Schroder’s pick-and-roll style and Steve Kerr’s motion offense has been more glaring than first thought, leading to the veteran guard’s move to the bench against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.
Dennis Schroder delivered an improved performance on Thursday amid growing trade rumors
Schroder’s first performance off the bench against the Kings was underwhelming to say the least, having recorded seven points, three rebounds and five assists while committing five turnovers and shooting 3-of-8 from the floor in 21 minutes.
Prior to Thursday’s game against the Chicago Bulls, Anthony Slater of The Athletic joined FanDuel’s NBA Show ‘Run it Back’ to deliver the latest on Golden State’s trade situation. That included mentioning Schroder as a possible candidate to be moved again in the next fortnight, such has been his less than ideal fit with the Warriors.
While his 11-point, seven-assist performance against the Bulls didn’t necessarily jump off the page as a major storyline from the 131-106 victory, Kerr made sure to make special note of Schroder during the post-game press conference.
“I thought Dennis was fantastic. That’s the guy who I’ve watched for years — he’s a competitor, he plays with an edge, he got after it defensively tonight, he pushed the ball. I thought Dennis played a huge role in that win,” Kerr said.
Perhaps this was a clear message to Schroder on how the Warriors want him to play, and perhaps a specific word of encouragement now that he’s moved back to a bench role. While there hasn’t been a whole lot made of the transition to the bench with so much centered around the performances of Quinten Post and Gui Santos, it can’t be overly easy for Schroder who just weeks ago was putting up the best numbers of his career in Brooklyn.
It’s also important to note that the 31-year-old is still playing for his next contract, with Schroder set to become a free agent during the offseason. Based on his start with Golden State, it would appear unlikely that he’ll re-sign and return for a full year with the franchise next season.
However, there’s still plenty of time for things to turn around. Given he’s not trade eligible till February 5, Schroder still has at least five games to convince the Warrior front office not to move him and his $13 million expiring contract again before the deadline.
