After being a key member in the Lakers’ run in the postseason, Dennis Schröder is a free agent this offseason. The Lakers have an opportunity to resign him, so the question is: will they look to do so?
Dennis comes off a solid season for the Lakers, where he conducted a solid backcourt. Schroeder wants to be a Laker, but what does Schroder bring to the court?
Dennis’ Background
While the Lakers saw production from a few players, Dennis was a consistent member of the Lakers. Last season, Schroder averaged 12.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 30.1 minutes in the regular season.
Schroder bounced around the league, playing for six teams in 9 seasons. He showed success this season, and the guard brings a lot to desire.
Strengths
Defense
Dennis is a tenacious defender. He guarded the best guard from other teams. With those intense assignments, his defense was solid this past season. More specifically, his defense of Stephen Curry in the Western Conference Semifinals helped him receive props from outside media. He fights over screens exceptionally well and shows good instincts to disrupt perimeter players.
Dennis also has a terrific motor, which allows him to provide pressure on the defensive end. He enhanced the Lakers’ defense and would bring that skill to the Lakers or the next team he plays for.
Playmaking
Dennis is a solid downhill point guard. He has terrific speed and changes of pace which makes him a difficult player to defend. More importantly, it allows him to be good as a playmaker. Dennis produced 4.5 assists and only 1.7 turnovers, which generates a 2.65 assist-to-turnover ratio. Dennis has excellent ball security. He gets shooters and big men involved by consistently attacking the paint. His attack collapses the defense and opens up opportunities for other players. Therefore, he provides a playmaker for the Lakers or other teams in the NBA that may need one.
Weaknesses
Perimeter Shooting
Although Schroder does a lot on the basketball court, his shooting is a liability. Schroder only shot 32.9% from three, below the league average of 36.1%. Therefore, he needs to work more on getting this part of his game better. However, Dennis does shoot well from the free-throw line at 85.7%.
Dennis needs to take better threes and be more accurate, as the Lakers struggled to convert threes this season. Shooting well is an essential skill for NBA guards, so Dennis must show growth in this area.
Last Word
If Dennis Schroder gets resigned by the Lakers, the Purple and Gold get a solid point guard that can defend and score going downhill. Dennis has the experience, and Schroder provides toughness and a hard-working mentality to whatever team he ends up with. If he can improve his perimeter shooting, his game will improve,
