Who Will Be the Nets’ Next Dennis Schroder After His Too-Good-to-Keep Run in 2024-25?

If it were up to Jordi Fernandez, there's a good chance Dennis Schroder would still be a Brooklyn Net. The impact he had was so profound that the only way for Brooklyn to protect its draft pick, which it had reacquired from the Houston Rockets, was to trade the veteran guard to Golden State.

Still, Schroder's early-season run serves as a perfect example of what a gritty veteran can achieve in Fernandez's system. With this memory still very fresh, who on the current roster has the best shot of repeating the surprising success in 2025-26?

Terance Mann immediately comes to mind. While he may not have the ball in his hands as much as Schroder did, his mentality should help him fit seamlessly into the culture Fernandez seeks—much like Schroder. Now, will Mann perform so well to the point that the front office is forced to move him in hopes of avoiding a draft lottery sabotage? It's possible, but given his position, it's unlikely he alone will be as responsible for unnecessary wins as Schroder was.

Michael Porter Jr. could fit this category, although he is much less expendable than Schroder was. It seems that Porter, with his experience under Fernandez, is more a part of the franchise's future plans, regardless of how his performance translates to victories. Plus, his contract isn't nearly as team-friendly as Schroder's, meaning he'll likely have fewer suitors in the event that the Nets prioritize moving him.

Haywood Highsmith could get a shout here as well, but he and Mann are too similar of players for the same logic not to apply. There's a real possibility that he's a fantastic fit in Brooklyn, but Highsmith shouldn't be expected to will the Nets over their opponents.

But what about Tyrese Martin? He's a homegrown talent and has been tearing it up in training camp, if you ask Porter. He basically led Brooklyn to a win over the Phoenix Suns last season alongside Schroder, and is unknown enough to have a chip on his shoulder similar to that of the veteran point guard. The scrappiness and scoring ability are there, but the overarching question is: if Martin has as much of an impact as Schroder did, would the front office really move him?

This entire discourse depends on how Brooklyn as a whole is performing, and if one individual player is responsible for wins over quality opponents. But the Nets are in a different spot than they were last year, and may not need to part ways with a player because he's "too good."

So who will be the "next" Schroder? We'll have to wait and see, but there's no guarantee that the front office wouldn't approach things differently if the ghost of Schroder were to be resurrected in Brooklyn.