Dennis Schroder’s riches to rags tale is definitely one of the strangest stories in recent memory. The Boston Celtics guard turned down a four-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers last season that would have paid him $84 million. He apparently believed that an even bigger payday awaited him this offseason.
That ultimately proved to be one of the bigger miscalculations in the history of NBA free agency. Instead of becoming a $100 million man, Schroder’s market dried up and he was forced to settle on Beantown’s one-year, $5.8 million deal.
It was an incredible turn of events for one of the game’s best offensive talents. However, Schroder looks to be taking his big L pretty well. The high-scoring combo guard just took a major swipe at himself for his epic free agency failure on social media (and on his birthday, no less).
Schroder Calls on Fans for Their Best ‘Fumbled the Bag’ Jokes
In a September 15 Instagram update, Schroder posted a slideshow featuring some of the hilarious responses to how his free agency transpired. Meanwhile, the featured image showed him with his luggage on the ground and his hands clenched to his head in disappointment as he crouched beside it.
In the accompanying caption, he issued a challenge to his fans, calling upon them to comment with their best “fumbled the bag” jokes. Needless to say, they responded in kind.
“[He] really went 0-9 in a playoff game and thought he was gonna get paid like Curry,” wrote one fan.
“How many fumbled bag jokes you want?” asked another commenter. “I’ve got a few decent ones. The other 84 million aren’t that great.”
“Bruh spent his entire contract money on this pic,” added a third commenter, referencing the luxury cars in the background.
“When you just bought out the store then get the vet minimum,” joked a fourth commenter.
In the end, Schroder may still get his big payday. If he can replicate his Oklahoma City Thunder days with the Celtics, he’ll have more than his fair share of suitors next summer. Still, even as he jokes about passing on the big extension, he’s probably kicking himself for the way in which things played out.
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Schroder’s New Jersey Number Revealed
On his DS17 app, Schroder has given fans the opportunity to pick the jersey number that he’ll wear in Boston. And after a nominating process and a poll featuring the top five picks, we finally have a winner.
With 48.84% of the vote, No. 71 — his old No. 17 inverted — will be on Schroder’s Celtics duds. It just edged out No. 96, which finished with 41.76%. Schroder’s probably happy about that particular development; No. 96 was a reference to the German soccer club Hannover 96, the rival of his hometown team.
In honor of his extension faux pas, the No. 84 was an option, but it was only the choice of 5.4% of respondents.
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