Possible Free Agency Destinations for Dennis Schroder

In sports, we all like when players bet on themselves in contract negotiations. There are many great stories of players who took less money and ended up with a windfall. In Dennis Schroder's case, however, his bet result was quite opposite. After turning down an 84 million dollar extension believing he was worth 100 million dollars, Schroder has received nary an offer and the leagues’ cap space is dwindling. As players continue to sign, there is no team that could absorb a 100 million dollar contract for Schroder so he will definitely not be getting his desired amount.

At this point the best Schroder can hope for is 10 million dollars per year, but the teams with that amount of cap space are probably not interested. The Charlotte Hornets have salary cap space but they have Lamelo Ball and Terry Rozier and do not need another shoot first point guard. The Pelicans have room but they just made a move to acquire Devonte Graham from the aforementioned Hornets, so neither of these teams are looking for a guard.

Dennis Schroder, former player of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP

The Thunder have the cap space, but this year's market is drying up. The Thunder are really only looking to acquire veterans in order to move them as a trade piece, they most likely will not be able to extract a first-round pick for Schroder like they did two seasons ago. So, for now, it's not a choice for our NBA picks.

Another plausible reunion is Schroder returning to Atlanta where he first made his name. Yet with the addition of rookie PG Sharife Cooper, the Hawks might not want to take on Schroder's attitude, with which they are well familiar. The Hawks also could return Lou Williams for similar scoring with less ego. Schroder will probably not return to the team where he became a star.

The Philadelphia 76ers make a lot of sense and I could see them trying to make a move for Schroder. With their strong personalities in the locker room, I don't know if Schroder's ego will be as disruptive as it would be on other teams. Joel Embiid is the unquestioned leader and there would be no internal power struggle. Schroder’s role would be clearly defined if he chose to go to Philadelphia. Doc Rivers has had criticisms for strategies and in-game adjustments but he is a savant of managing egos. Schroder would work in Philadelphia.

The Golden State Warriors are another team that makes sense. They have a need for shot creation and a strong culture to absorb Schroder's ego. Scoring without Curry on the floor was the team’s premier issue last season. The Warriors could choose to develop Jordan Poole in this role. The Warriors,’ however, are in win-now mode and a veteran provides more insurance and clarity heading into the final years of Steph Curry’s prime. Don't count out the Warriors as a possible Schroder destination

Marc Gasol #14 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers. former team players of Dennis Schroder (Photo by Harry How / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

With the Clippers re-signing Reggie Jackson, they are probably out of the market for Schroder, as he and Jackson have very similar skill sets.

Reports are emerging of the Boston Celtics interest in Schroder. This makes sense. With the loss of Kemba Walker, the Celtics are looking for a point of attack guard that can take pressure off Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Schroder is also a much-improved defender over the course of his career and could provide an upgrade to Walker on the defensive end. Coach Brad Stevens had problems integrating Kyrie Irving's enormous ego. Will the new coach Ime Udoka be able to incorporate Schroder? Looking at their current situation it might be worth the risk.

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Schroder's Odds

There are no NBA odds for Schroder destinations provided by top sportsbooks. but let's take a look at how a Schroder signing would impact a team. I would say he is worth about +25 to +400 to a team's championship's odds, depending on the team’s current odds. For example, if he signed with the Celtics and they are currently 50 to one, I would make them 46 to one. If he returns to the Lakers, I don't think it moves the needle more than +25. He is a slight help, but nothing that will drastically move the needle. I think it is most likely he would end up in Boston, but if you've been following NBA free agency so far, you know that surprises are abundant!