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Celtics rumors: Rival executives believe Dennis Schröder could be available in trade talks
Schröder has likely played himself out of the Celtics' price range next year.
Could the Celtics move on from Dennis Schröder before February’s trade deadline? Opposing executives reportedly think so.
Per The Athletic‘s Shams Charania, rival NBA executives think Schröder could be dealt, since he likely has played himself out of the Celtics’ price range — averaging 17.5 points and 4.9 assists on a one-year deal worth just the taxpayer mid-level exception of $5.9 million.
Schröder’s season to date is complicated. On the one hand, he offers plenty of offense — on a team often challenged to find buckets, it’s difficult to argue with 17.5 points on 14.3 shots per game. His ability to get wherever he wants with quickness and shifty ball-handling makes a difference and gives the Celtics an element they lack elsewhere.
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But other elements of Schröder’s game are concerning. Defensively, he has been a major liability in certain lineups — most notably, when he slots in for Jaylen Brown with the starters.
Schröder also has a usage of 26.3 — just a tick under Jaylen Brown’s 26.7 percent usage. That’s a lot of possessions, particularly given his assist numbers — per Cleaning the Glass, Schröder assists on 23.9 percent of his teammates’ shots. Combined with his high usage, that number puts him in the bottom-seventh percentile of the league among point guards — not ideal for a player who often slots in as the lead ball-handler.
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The Celtics might not get much for Schröder even given his production this season. Schröder is 28 and a known commodity, which would only have real value for contenders — many of whom rely on late first- and second-round picks to bolster their rosters with cheap talent.
Still, the Celtics could try to pry away much-needed shooting, or simply invest in second-round picks after watching Brandon Boston Jr. — the 51st pick in last year’s draft — torch them for 27 points on their recent road trip. If they are going to lose Schröder anyway, recouping some value might be a worthwhile endeavor.
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