Celtics, Dennis Schroder reportedly share a mutual interest in a deal
Schroder, who most recently played for the Lakers, finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting in 2020.
The Celtics might have their eyes on a point guard to replace Kemba Walker.
Boston and free-agent point guard Dennis Schroder have some mutual interest, the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach reported Friday. The Celtics are one of a “few” teams Schroder is considering, Himmelsbach added.
Schroder, 27, most recently played with the Lakers, who reportedly offered Schroder a four-year, $84 million contract extension during the season. However, it looks like Schroder won’t be able to get a deal in similar value with nearly every team sitting at the salary cap or over it.
Even though the Celtics are over the salary cap, there are multiple ways they could acquire Schroder. The Celtics have the $5.9 million mid-level exception available to them, which could become a $9.5 million mid-level exception if they shed roughly $5 million in salary.
Boston can also acquire Schroder via a sign-and-trade, which Himmelsbach notes is “unlikely” to happen. If the Celtics acquired Schroder through a sign-and-trade, the Celtics would be hard-capped at $143 million, adding an extra obstacle for the Celtics for any future moves this upcoming season. Signing Schroder to the $9.5 million mid-level exception would also implement the hard cap.
The Celtics have a noticeable hole at point guard after trading Walker, who will be waived by the Thunder and will sign with the Knicks. Boston reportedly agreed to a trade with the Hawks to acquire Kris Dunn, but that trade hasn’t been made official a week later.
While the Lakers can sign Schroder to any contract because the team holds his bird rights, it appears unlikely that he’ll stay in Los Angeles. The Lakers traded for star Russell Westbrook and signed Kendrick Nunn, leaving little room to add another point guard to their roster.
Schroder scored 15.8 points and dishing 5.8 assists per game as a starter in his first season in Los Angeles. He struggled in the Lakers’ first-round playoff loss to the Suns, scoring 14.3 points per game — including a zero-point performance in a crucial Game 5 — while shooting 40% from the field.
Prior to getting traded to the Lakers in 2020, Schroder played two seasons with the Thunder. In 2019-20, Schroder scored 18.9 points and dished out four assists per game off the bench, helping the Thunder get the No. 4 seed in the West. Schroder finished in second place for Sixth Man of the Year voting that season.
Schroder was drafted by the Hawks in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft, spending his first five seasons in Atlanta.