Getty Images Head coach Darvin Ham and GM Rob Pelinka of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Much was made about Dennis Schroder fumbling the bag during his first stint with the Los Angeles Lakers but the 29-year-old guard says there was no bag to fumble.
During the 2020-21 season, there were multiple reports that the Lakers offered Schroder a four-year, $84 million contract during the year to become a long-term piece for the franchise. He turned it down, eyeing a potentially larger deal as a free agent, which didn’t work out as planned.
After a rough ending with the Lakers that was punctuated by a miserable postseason performance against the Suns, he wasn’t a sought-after free agent. Schroder settled for the $5.9 million midlevel exception with the Celtics and was traded to the Rockets at the trade deadline. After another uneventful stint as a free agent this offseason, he returned to the Lakers in September on a one-year, $2.64 million contract.
While it is a painful “what-if” to consider, Schroder said the extension from the Lakers was never on the table.
“There never was a contract, never rejected anything,” Schroder said. “I don’t know who brought it up, but that’s the media, you know? But at the end of the day, no contract and I’m just happy to be here. Like you said, unfinished business and we just got to take care of the stuff and win a chip [championship].”
Schroder Embracing Second Shot at Success With Lakers
It’s an interesting response from Schroder, considering even he joked about it on social media. The altered version of events might be a matter of semantics, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, who provided further context.
“A source familiar with the negotiations between Schroder’s representative at the time and the Lakers told ESPN that when L.A. broached a conversation about an extension in February 2021, Schroder’s side said they would rather wait until the offseason to discuss a deal when he reached free agency,” McMenamin wrote. “When the offseason came, Los Angeles was uninterested in offering the same type of long-term deal it intended to discuss months earlier and ended up trading for Russell Westbrook to play point guard.”
Schroder now gets a second shot to prove his worth with the Lakers and he’s embracing the challenge.
“Of course, it would be great to sign a big deal and a longer-term deal, and that’s my goal still,” Schroder said. “But the end of the day, we are here now and I’m going to do everything I can right now to just help my teammates win ballgames.”
Schroder Caught Lakers Attention During Offseason
Schroder missed the first part of camp due to visa issues but has hit the ground running according to head coach Darvin Ham. What helps is that Schroder has a relationship with Ham that dates back to his rookie year with the Atlanta Hawks.
“He definitely [was] picking up full court when we did our little scrimmaging session,” Ham said after Schroder’s first day of practice on October 10. “But also, being aware that he hasn’t been around so he’s trying to take things into account of how we’re doing it.”
A reunion between Schroder and the Lakers seemed farfetched but he caught the team’s attention with his play at the EuroBasket tournament. He averaged 22.1 points and 7.1 assists, helping lead his native Germany to a third-place finish.
“His performance this summer was nothing short of incredible,” Ham said. “And it just shows his maturity the way he led his team. Not just points and stats, but his energy, his competitiveness. The way he kept the group together through the tournament. Speaks volumes of how he’s grown.”
The Lakers continue their preseason schedule Wednesday against the Timberwolves. After that, they’ll have one more tune-up before facing the Warrion on opening night.