The Dennis Schroder Trade

I'm on my way out of this blog by the end of the NFL Season. But, we can still talk about the Lakers offseason while I'm still active. The NBA offseason is underway when a trade has been reported. And earlier today, league sources have reported that the Lakers and Thunder have agreed to a trade that would send Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Dennis Schroder to LA in exchange for Danny Green and the Lakers' 28th pick in this year's draft. The trade moratorium is tomorrow, so we can expect this to be official by all accounts.

Rob Pelinka isn't playing any games. This is a great deal for the Lakers. If you want to better your chances to "run it back," you make moves like these. It would be ideal for the Lakers to bring everyone from their 2019-20 championship roster back. But, the truth of the matter is that nucleus is going to get older and opposing teams are going to get better. Schroder may not be the All-Star guard that we covet, but he provides the Lakers a reliable 3rd option to go with LeBron and AD. Schroder is only 27 years old and is a consistent 18-20 point scoring guard with playmaking ability. He is also a much better shooter at this point of his career than what the Lakers currently had among that back court personnel. 

For the assets that the Lakers are giving up, they're literally giving away "peanuts." Danny Green is a solid 3 and D player, but he's slowing down. That's evident in this year's postseason run in the bubble even if he had some injuries. If you compare DG's contract to Schroder's contract, they both make $15 million a year. Obviously, Schroder is getting paid incrementally higher. But the difference is simple: Schroder is reaching his peak while Danny Green is on the decline. The 28th pick doesn't hold too much value. The chances that pick develops into a future superstar is very slim unless OKC's scouts have somebody in mind. That team is committed to a full-on rebuild, accumulating a boat load of draft picks from Houston and the LA Clippers from the Russell Westbrook and Paul George trades respectively. 

This trade is also a contingency plan to patch up the Lakers' backcourt because that unit will take a hit this upcoming offseason. Rajon Rondo is opting out and wants more money. KCP wants more money. Avery Bradley is also opting out. At least Schroder will fill that void for the time being even if it's on a one-year rental. Although we do want Rondo and KCP back, it's understandable we gotta play that game of "keep as many as you can." And there's a chance the Lakers may not get either of them back with their high salary demands, especially since they have to prioritize resigning AD this offseason. This trade is one way to keep AD in LA for the foreseeable future and pair him with a prospective young piece in preparation for the post-LeBron era. And currently, this helps extend LeBron's prime and keep him fresh for the postseason with a guard who can consistently score double digit points and create plays for teammates.