Last month Dennis Schroder agreed to sign with the Boston Celtics for the $5.9 million taxpayer midlevel exception. It was an incredible fall from grace for a guy who was offered an $84 million extension by the Los Angeles Lakers and promptly turned it down because he felt like he deserved $100+ million.
In his one season with the Lakers Schroder averaged 15.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. Not bad stats by any stretch of the imagination – but also not particularly meaningful ones.
Moreover, Schroder’s baggage greatly outweighed his production.
It is something of an open secret that Schroder’s teammates hated him. But this week, additional information emerged about one particular Laker who really didn’t like him as a teammate.
According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, Anthony Davis was no big fan of playing alongside Schroder.
“Per an NBA source familiar with some of the Lakers’ struggles through the 2020-21 campaign, Davis felt some frustration that he wasn’t getting the kind of looks in the post with Dennis Schroder running the point compared to those he received with Rondo a year earlier,” he wrote.
Last season Davis averaged 21.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game throughout an injury-plagued campaign. How much his struggles had to do with him being hurt versus Schroder’s inability to mesh alongside him is up for debate. That said, clearly he won’t be missing Schroder too much either way.
Jake Paul won twice last night. https://t.co/hwq8OroRtW
— Game 7 (@game7__) August 30, 2021
After his embarrassing free agency run, Schroder issued a defiant 5-word message on social media. His wife also did something similar. Clearly they both expect him to have a strong 2021-22 campaign with the Celtics.
Next season will be an interesting one. Either Schroder will prove the haters wrong and thrive in Boston, or he’ll prove them right and officially slink away into irrelevance. Which one will it ultimately be? Time will tell.
Related: Real Reason Why 76ers Didn’t Trade Ben Simmons To Raptors, Timberwolves
A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
