Dennis Schroeder is now an unrestricted free agent aiming for a deal this summer in the range of $100-$120 million. He played last season as an integral part of a Lakers squad that exited the playoffs in the first round.
The Lakers acquired the German point guard the year before from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Danny Green and a 1st-round pick.
According to the German Basketball Federation’s vice president Armin Andres, Schroeder actively pursues a deal of this value.
Dennis Schroeder has communicated this clearly: he wants $100 to $120 million � which he will probably also get � and this sum cannot be insured on the normal market at the moment.
Armin Andres
In an attempt to seek a contract, Schroeder even opted out of Germany’s Olympic qualifiers this summer. He covered the main scoring option for large parts of the season with Anthony Davis and LeBron James riddled with injuries. However, his production compared to his time in OKC dropped off significantly.
After putting up 18.9 points a game last season on 47% shooting, his average dropped to 15.4 points. His efficiency from the field also dropped as he shot just 43.7 percent. A similar trend followed in his 3-point game, where he shot 33.5%, down from 38.5% the previous season.
His drop-off in performance subjected him to criticism from Lakers fans, who expected more from the player who averaged almost 20 points a game last year. Even Magic Johnson had some words for Schroeder.
“He isn’t a Laker. He doesn’t have a winning mentality.”
Magic Johnson
Johnson’s critique came just after the Lakers exited the playoffs. Schroeder’s future with the team is unknown, with the Lakers looking to shuffle the roster before the season. Especially with his large asking price. Earlier in the season, he rejected an $84 million contract offer from the Los Angeles Lakers.
