Dennis Schröder Calls Out Raptors Teammates After Embarrassing Pistons Loss

This has been a rollercoaster weekend for the Toronto Raptors, from their blockbuster trade with the New York Knicks, to the embarrassing loss to the Detroit Pistons, who snapped their record-tying 28-game losing streak at the Raptors' expense.

It’s obviously all taken a toll on the players, as evidenced by point guard Dennis Schröder’s comments following the 129–127 loss to Detroit. He questioned the team's culture and chemistry:

Raptors point guard Dennis Schroder had some things to say following last nights game in Detroit. Like…wow. pic.twitter.com/eECCXmW4qr

— Sid Seixeiro (@Sid_Seixeiro) December 31, 2023

“When I got here, (head coach) Darko (Rajakovic) did a great job just putting his system into the organization. But I think we just got to follow that. Everybody just being unselfish, sharing the ball because at the end of the day, one or two persons cannot win,” Schröder said in his postgame media availability. 

“To be a winning team, we need everybody, even the guys who don't really play. People got to be grateful, cheering on their teammates, when they get a stop, when they get on the floor, dive, pick ‘em up, being excited for one another. I don't want to go deep into that, but I need to feel that.”

He went on to note that he knows that feeling very well, particularly from playing with the German National Team this past summer when Schroder helped lead them to the Gold Medal at the World Cup. “I don't feel it here yet like that. Every single day I just want to keep going at it and build relationships. I know it's hard, because (the) NBA is a little bit individual as well. But at the end of the day, if we keep playing like this, nobody's going to win.”

When it comes to calling out your teammates, Schroder did it about as classy as you can, without naming names. But perhaps it’s something that team President Masai Ujiri should start paying more attention to as he continues to reconstruct this team going forward.

The Raptors should hopefully have new additions RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley in uniform for their next game on New Year’s Day. And then the team “chemistry” experiment can start all over again.

Photo: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports