Dennis Schroder signs with Boston Celtics on one-year, $5.9 million deal
Creator: Sean Gardner | Credit: Getty Images | Copyright: 2021
The Boston Celtics have signed Dennis Schroder to a one-year deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The deal will be for the $5.9 million exception. Schroder and the Celtics had reportedly been going back and forth in recent days trying to get a deal done. The point guard wanted the full MLE ($9.5 million) or a multi-year deal. Ultimately, he agreed to sign for the lesser amount.
Schroder will likely be determined to prove himself this year. It was reported that Schroder turned down a four-year, $84 million extension that the Lakers offered him last year. Now, he will be making much less, but still has the opportunity to hit the open market next offseason.
After a successful 2019-20 campaign with the Thunder, Schroder struggled at times last season in LA. He especially had troubles in the playoffs, where he shot only 30.8% from deep. The Lakers were eliminated in Round 1 by the Phoenix Suns.
The point guard was a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year award in the 2019-20 season with Oklahoma City. He averaged 18.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 46.9% from the field and 38.5% from deep.
Boston is hoping that Schroder can return to producing these sorts of numbers. He will be a great addition to their backcourt, and could realistically start alongside Marcus Smart. Schroder is a great scorer and solid playmaker.
The deal also allows Boston to keep their options open next offseason. The ultimate goal still seems to be landing a superstar such as Bradley Beal next summer. Adding Schroder on a one-year deal allows him to hit free agency once again next offseason, while the Celtics will benefit from his contracts being off the books.
