Getty Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroder.
With the Los Angeles Lakers winning the most recent NBA championship and it looking like they had a lot of fun doing it, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a lot of veteran players wanted to come to Tinseltown. However, not everybody finds joining LeBron James and the reigning champions that appealing. A recent report suggested that Chris Paul would prefer not to go to the Lakers and it sounds like one of his teammates in Oklahoma City feels the same way.
During last year’s trade deadline, the Lakers were definitely buyers and were looking at a few players. Apparently, Dennis Schroder was one of them. While he claims they made an offer, he says he doesn’t want to go to Los Angeles in any capacity.
“Yes, I have received offers. But I never wanted to go to the Lakers, the Clippers or all the names that may have called my agents,” Schroder said to the MagentaSport podcast, per Sport 1.
“In the end, I’m good with the GM [Sam Presti – the OKC General Manager] and that was my decision. I said that I like the organization here better,” Schroder added.
Schroder is one of the best sixth-men in the NBA and he’d be a great fit for the Lakers. That said, it sounds like he’s happy where he’s at but things can always change.
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Could Schroder Change His Mind?
Schroder is under contract with the Thunder for this upcoming season, but he’ll be an unrestricted free agent next offseason. With the team parting ways with head coach Billy Donovan and a Chris Paul trade seeming likely, Oklahoma City is about to enter a full rebuild. Schroder is still young at 27 but will he really want to waste his prime years on a rebuilding team?
It’s possible he does but his mindset could change if this upcoming season is really bad for the Thunder. They defied expectations last season but they lost their coach and are probably going to trade away their best player. Schroder could realize down the road that he’d be better off on another team. However, it remains to be seen if he specifically doesn’t want to play in Los Angeles.
Lakers Need a 6th Man
A big focus for the Lakers this offseason is to find a strong sixth-man to come off the bench. Kyle Kuzma was supposed to be that guy last year but that never materialized. Rajon Rondo was great off the bench in the playoffs but there’s a good chance he’ll leave in free agency.
If the Lakers are serious about adding a strong sixth-man, there are options. Montrezl Harrell is the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year and he’s a free agent. The way the Clippers fell apart last offseason could lead to him wanting a change. Harrell is a good player but Derrick Rose would probably be the best fit. He’s proven to be an excellent bench player and is exactly what the Lakers need. If they pull off a trade for him, they should.
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Elite Bench Player on Trade Rumors: ‘I Never Wanted to Go to the Lakers’