3 reasons Lakers fans should be hyped for Dennis Schroder’s return

The Los Angeles Lakers agreed to give Dennis Schroder a one-year, $2.64 million deal on Friday after the free agent had been without a team for the 2022-23 NBA season.

The last couple years have been quite the rollercoaster for the German native as he was just with the Lakers during the 2020-21 season. He was expected to help the team contend for another title after being traded for Danny Green and draft rights to first-round pick Jaden McDaniels.

What followed was Schroder rejecting a Lakers contract extension worth $84 million over four years and then fizzling out in the playoffs shortly after.

After failed stints with the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets, Schroder is now back with the team that effectively jump-started his downfall. With the Lakers, Schroder will have a big chip on his shoulder, and for just $2.64 million, the Lakers couldn’t have asked for a safer investment.

Here are three reasons bringing back Schroder makes a lot of sense for the Lakers.

1. Russell Westbrook insurance

The Westbrook experiment blew up in everyone’s faces last season as the point guard was a net negative every time he stepped onto the floor. That’s because of his inability to play off the ball, high turnover rate in the fourth quarter and an ego the size of Kyle Lowry’s behind.

Due to the $44.2 million that the team was giving the nine-time All-Star, it was a bit gun-shy when it came to replacing him in the lineup. The Lakers cycled through point guards like a fantasy football waiver wire, going through Rajon Rondo, Isaiah Thomas, D.J. Augustin and Darren Collison — none of whom were pesky enough to stay in front of the opposing team’s point guard.

Schroder will give the team a legitimate point guard on the roster that’s worthy of playing 30+ minutes per game, just in case Westbrook is on the roster and decides to go kamikaze mode on the team again.

2. Defense and energy

The Lakers foolishly let Alex Caruso walk last season by giving him a disrespectful offer of less than two years at $15 million. As a result, they lost perhaps their best perimeter defender and a huge spark plug off the bench.

The 2021-22 team was filled with a bunch of over-the-hill big ego veterans who did not want any part of hustling or playing defense.

That’s exactly where Dennis Schroder will come in. Say what you want about his production on the offensive end, which can go stagnant at times, but one thing he will bring every night is his energy and peskiness on the defensive end.

In the 2019-20 season, Schroder contested 166 2-point shots and 177 3-point shots for a total of 343 contested shots, while the Lakers’ starting point guard last season contested just 126 2-point shots and 157 3-point shots for a total of just 283 contests in four more minutes per game.

3. Zero risk

Bringing Schroder in on a one-year deal carries zero risk for a team that is clearly trying to maximize its payroll for the 2023 offseason, when players like Kyrie Irving will become free agents.

The former first-round pick will likely play with a huge chip on his shoulder to prove to the league that he still is starting point material.

If he proves to be a bust, the Lakers can still rely on Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn or even Austin Reaves to pick up the slack. But if he has a season of resurgence next to LeBron James, maybe he can be the piece that moves the needle for the team in the upcoming campaign.