This past week Dennis Schroder agreed to sign with the Boston Celtics for the $5.9 million taxpayer midlevel exception. It was quite the fall from grace for a guy who aggressively rejected an $84 million contract extension from the Los Angeles Lakers because he firmly believed he was worth more than $100 million.
Schroder initially wanted the full MLE, which is $9.5M, and a second-year option from Boston – but his lack of leverage made any such demands unfeasible. He also wasn’t guaranteed a starting spot, which just adds insult to injury.
In the aftermath of his disastrous offseason, Schroder sent out a defiant 5-word response regarding how things went.
A few days later his wife Ellen also decided to speak out.
“I’m so proud of my husband that he made this decision to stay true to himself and to fight for his goals and his vision,” she wrote on Instagram. “I know not everyone understands this. They would choose money before anything else. But let me tell you: Show some love, be patient, and watch what will happen next.”
Yikes. https://t.co/r0HoFoJE9h
— Game 7 (@game7__) August 10, 2021
Schroder’s offseason captured the attention of NBA fans everywhere primarily due to the sheer delusion he displayed in turning down the Lakers’ offer. He averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 43.7 percent from the field for LA in 2020-21, but his production was largely unimpactful. Beyond that, his teammates absolutely hated him.
The Celtics are coming off a disappointing 2020-21 campaign that saw them finish seventh in the Eastern Conference and lose in five to the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs. If Schroder can ultimately help them advance further than they did this season, then he may get rewarded financially the following year. That said – it’s hard to see him ever recouping the amount of money he turned down from LA.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
