Could the potential field of suitors for veteran Boston Celtics point guard Dennis Schroder be larger than many had anticipated? Based on a recent article by Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, he ought to be even if he is not.
And with intel percolating up that the German floor general is a target of interest for the Cleveland Cavaliers after they got a disabled player exception for Ricky Rubio’s season-ending injury, Buckley’s case seems to be a grounded one that clubs ought to be giving the Celtics reserve guard more consideration as a trade target before the Feb. 10 trade deadline comes and goes.
The B/R analyst has the Golden State Warriors in mind specifically as a suitor for Schroder’s services — let’s take a look at his pitch.
Cleveland can sign a player to replace the loss of Ricky Rubio for the season, and Dennis Schroder is reportedly at the top of their list. https://t.co/QKB9qO0lgm
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) January 29, 2022
“The Warriors could use more shot creation to support Stephen Curry,” opines Buckley correctly.
“Dennis Schroder, who was reportedly on their radar this offseason, might be the best-case solution. For one, the 28-year-old is actually affordable.”
This is because of the mini mid-level exception deal he signed to join the Celtics after all the other cap space dried up — and why Boston is very likely to trade him given league rules prevent re-signing players on a one-year deal for more than 120% of their last salary.
“Free agency never became what he hoped it would be, and he wound up settling on a budget-friendly, $5.9 million deal with the Boston Celtics,” notes the B/R writer.
“Second, he could be obtainable. Boston won’t have his Bird rights, so it probably can’t cover the cost of his next free-agency venture. Trading him now for something (even a second-round pick) might be preferable to letting him walk.”
Here, Buckley gives us the coup de grace of his argument — going for the meat of the reason the Warriors need his specific skill set.
“Third, and most importantly, he’s a good player. Not a great one, but still someone who can manufacture offense for himself and his teammates. This is on course to be the German’s sixth consecutive season of averaging at least 15 points and four assists.”
“For reference, his numbers aren’t dissimilar to Jordan Poole’s (16.7 points and 3.3 assists), only Schroder shoots better percentages and commits fewer turnovers,” he adds.
Given this might well be the Warriors’ last, best chance to compete for a title in the near-term future, it makes sense to consider loading up on players who can make life easier for Steph to snipe opponents from almost anywhere on the court.
Whether Golden State believes this is the right target or not to kick their scoring into overdrive remains to be seen, but we agree with Buckley that he might be able to help more than just Cleveland with postseason aspirations.
This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!
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