Golden State Warriors guard Dennis Schroder. Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Early takeaways from Dennis Schroder's start with the Warriors

By Justin Kim | Last updated Jan 1, 2025 4:19 PM ET

Since being acquired by the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 15, point guard Dennis Schroder has gotten off to a slow start, averaging 9.1 PPG and 3.9 APG on 29.7% shooting from the field, per StatMuse.

The Warriors are 2-5 in the seven games since Schroder's arrival and desperately need him to emulate his production as a Brooklyn Net, where he averaged 18.4 PPG on 45.2% shooting in 23 games this season.

Here are some early takeaways:

More pick-and-roll action for Schroder

Given Schroder's shooting struggles, head coach Steve Kerr should aim to leverage the newest Warrior's strengths to help him regain his early season form. Though Schroder will eventually need to adjust to the motion offense to maximize his minutes with Stephen Curry, their minutes are mostly staggered, which is why running more pick and roll action for Schroder would be a smart move. Pairing Schroder with a lob threat like Trayce Jackson-Davis could provide the Warriors with easier scoring opportunities in the non-Curry minutes.

Emptying the corner for a Dennis-Trayce PnR is one way to develop this pairing. pic.twitter.com/L7LSm8S1zj
— Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) December 29, 2024

Warriors still desperately need a second option

While Schroder has shown flashes of being a second option, namely when he had seven points in the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 28, it's clear relying on Schroder to play second fiddle to Curry is not a winning strategy. Golden State's surrounding personnel is not strong enough to compensate for an aging Curry and an inconsistent Schroder on a nightly basis, which explains the Warriors' 4-13 record over their past 17 games.

The 12-year veteran certainly eases Curry's ball-handling responsibilities, but their fit together is still questionable considering Schroder's mediocre shooting and Curry being out of rhythm as the off-guard. The four-time champion has averaged 19.0 PPG on 38.6% shooting since Schroder joined, which suggests Curry might be better served as the primary ball-handler on the floor alongside another scoring threat that draws defensive attention, with Schroder slotting in the backup point guard role.

Justin Kim

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