The Los Angeles Lakers came into the offseason with some pretty big holes to plug. To date, one of those, the starting point guard spot – continues to be something of a sore spot.
L.A. went out and acquired Patrick Beverley last week, but he is really more of a shooting guard at this juncture. The Lakers still need someone to run the offense when LeBron James isn’t doing so, regardless of what happens with Russell Westbrook.
In recent weeks, Dennis Schroder has been floated as a potential candidate for L.A.
This week, NBA insider Marc Stein offered some insight into where things stand on the Schroder-to-Los Angeles front now that Beverley is a Laker.
“It is not yet clear if the Beverley acquisition completely rules out a Schröder return or if Westbrook’s potential exit could re-open the door,” Stein wrote.
“Schröder, remember, has already indicated a willingness to return to Lakerland despite the contractual saga that cost him millions during the 2019-20 season when he opted for free agency rather than accept a four-year extension from the Lakers worth in excess of $80 million.”
Throughout the summer, two teams have consistently been viewed as the frontrunners to land Schroder.
Obviously, Schroder experienced some very real issues during his first run in Los Angeles. Namely, the fact that he was incapable of playing well with LeBron James and the uncomfortable truth that his own teammates disliked him.
That said — the Lakers are desperate. And they have very few avenues available to them when it comes to improving the roster.
Schroder has the skills necessary to help if both parties can agree beforehand on what his role will be and what the expectations are.
More must-reads: