Dennis Schröder Finds NBA Home; Signs One-Year Deal

Dennis Schröder, the top remaining point guard on the free agent market, has parlayed a sizzling performance for Germany at the EuroBasket tournament into a new NBA deal, returning to the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Dennis Schroder is signing a one-year, $2.64M deal with the Lakers, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/Pqdl6SdxkA

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 16, 2022

The Lakers once thought Schröder was worth $84M, offering him that 4-year deal while he was last with the team in 2021. Schroder infamously declined, and now has returned on a one-year, $2.64M deal — that's a nice tidy savings of some $18M+ for the year for the Lakers ($81M+ overall). 

Schroder has made the playoffs in seven of his nine NBA seasons – including 2020-21 Lakers stint – and brings additional guard depth and competitiveness. The 28-year-old has had impressive semifinals run for Germany at EuroBasket, averaging 21.6 points and 7.3 assists. https://t.co/SIN6gcUdP8

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 16, 2022

Schröder turned some heads over the past few weeks with his performance for Germany at EuroBasket. He's averaged 21.6 points and 7.3 assists, leading them to the semifinals of the event before bowing to Spain today. 

This gives the Lakers 3 point guards who will want minutes—Patrick Beverley, Schröder, and Russell Westbrook, and it has to make one wonder if this move is another sign that Westbrook will not be back. "There will be plenty of minutes for everybody," is what the Lakers told Schröder's agent.

The 26-year-old Schröder is a playmaker, a bit of a scorer, and, like Beverley,  can play some defense. 

Mark Bartelstein, Dennis Schröder's agent, said Dennis wanted to rectify how last stint w/ Lakers ended and had strong relationship w/ Darvin Ham in Atlanta. And on the Lakers' crowded backcourt? Bartelstein said the Lakers relayed "there will be a lot of minutes for everybody."

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) September 17, 2022

Schröder played under assistant coach Darvin Ham for the Atlanta Hawks for five seasons from 2013-2018; Ham is now the head coach of the Lakers.

Photos: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports, Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports