The Los Angeles Lakers have had an incredibly quiet 2022 NBA offseason despite all the rumors surrounding them.
Though there have been several times in which a blockbuster trade for Kyrie Irving seemed imminent, it is looking like the potential of that actually happening is far more a dream than an actual reality. For that reason, the Lakers may be looking elsewhere to bolster their backcourt heading into the 2022-23 season.
In fact, one recent report indicated that the Lakers may feel inclined to bring back veteran guard Dennis Schroder depending on how the rest of the roster takes shape in the coming weeks and months.
Re-signing free agent guard Dennis Schröder is a "legit consideration" for the Lakers, league sources say, depending on how the rest of their roster develops.
After one season as a Laker, Schröder played for Boston and Houston in 2021-22.
More NBA notes: https://t.co/EwiaWFuKoI
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 23, 2022
As many Lakers fans already know, Schroder spent the entire 2020-21 NBA season with the Lakers to underwhelming effect. After the Lakers traded for Schroder by dealing away veteran Danny Green and the draft rights to Jaden McDaniel, Schroder never seemed comfortable in L.A.
Still, he averaged a respectable 15.4 points, 5.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game that season. The biggest surprise came when the Lakers reportedly offered Schroder a multiyear deal worth up to $84 million. Schroder apparently declined the offer, but he later claimed that he “never had that contract in front of me.”
He then signed a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics, but was traded away prior to the trade deadline last season to the Houston Rockets.
Given that history, Schroder returning to the Lakers would be something of an odd reunion, but it could work quite well considering the fact that both sides may need one another.
Despite having former MVP Russell Westbrook on the roster, the Lakers are still dealing with a fair amount of uncertainty in the backcourt. If Westbrook continues to display an inability to play alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers may have to make big changes to the rotation on the fly.
Schroder could ease that change, as he has a lot of experience as a starter and a season’s worth of experience playing with James and Davis. Moreover, Schroder recently made it somewhat clear that he’d be willing to run it back with James.
The comments section of Dennis Schroder’s IG post this morning… pic.twitter.com/OPkMV82ec5
— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) July 19, 2022
In the end, this is just another rumor involving the Lakers at the moment. Though there could very well be some veracity to the rumor, this offseason has reminded Lakers fans not to get excited about a possible addition to the roster until the deal is settled.
Still, Schroder’s name seems to be one to keep an eye on for fans across L.A.
