Getty Lakers stars LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook sit on the bench
A Los Angeles Lakers guard could reportedly miss the start of the regular season after suffering an injury.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Dennis Schroder has suffered a finger injury. The veteran is undergoing tests to determine the severity of his ailment.
Lakers’ Dennis Schroder has suffered a finger injury and his status is up in the air ahead of regular season next week, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Schroder will not play in tonight’s game vs. Kings and is undergoing testing on severity and return timetable.
The Lakers take on the Golden State Warriors on opening night on October 18th. Schroder won’t play in Los Angeles’ final preseason game against the Sacramento Kings. He played nine minutes versus the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 12th and went 0-of-4 from the field and 0-of-1 from beyond the arc.
Schroder signed a one-year, $2.6 million contract with the Lakers. The 29-year-old is in his second stint with the team. Schroder appeared in 61 games for Los Angeles during the 2020-21 season, averaging 15.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists.
The Braunschweig native played for the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets last season. He averaged 13.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 64 games while shooting 43.1% from the field, 34.4% from beyond the arc and 85.3% from the free-throw line.
If Schroder misses time in the regular season, Kendrick Nunn, Austin Reaves, Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker IV will have to score the ball more for the Lakers’ offense to be effective.
Schroder Signed With Lakers to Play for Darvin Ham Again
Schroder met with the LA media on October 10th and talked about why he signed with the Lakers, who missed the playoffs last season. The scoring guard said reuniting with Darvin Ham was the main reason he joined the purple and gold for a second run.
“That was the main reason, to be honest,” Schroder said. “I’ve been with him (since) 2013 when I got drafted in Atlanta and he’s been nothing but great to me. Learning from him over the years, staying in touch. He had camps in Germany where I came through to support him. So, I call him family and he knows that. So, whatever it takes to win a ballgame, I’ll do it. … I’ma make sure everything I can do I’ll bring to the team to win ballgames. I mean, coach Darvin knows. He knows me for 10 years now. He knows what I bring, and whatever it is, I’ma do whatever to get a W and to finish the unfinished business.”
Ham was an assistant coach on the Atlanta Hawks when Schroder began his NBA career. The two have a strong bond and consider each other “family.”
Schroder Played Well With LeBron James in 2020-21
The Lakers went 30-10 in 2020-21 when LeBron James and Schroder played. James averaged 25.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 40 games with Schroder. Meanwhile, Schroder averaged 14.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists alongside James.
Ham told reporters on October 11th that Schroder’s strong play for the German national team in the European championships over the summer was a “huge factor” in the Lakers signing him.
“Huge factor,” Ham said. “A huge factor. He and I, we spent five years in Atlanta together. I was with him from day 1 of his rookie year. It was our first year in Atlanta as a staff under coach Bud (Mike Budenholzer) and he was one of my responsibilities of just individual workouts to putting an arm around him if needed. Just helping him understand what this level of basketball is about, on and off the floor, and he’s like family to me now. His performance this summer was nothing short of incredible.”
Schroder has career averages of 14.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists with the Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Lakers, Celtics and Rockets.