Dennis Schroder’s reunion with the Los Angeles Lakers has been delayed by visa issues that prevented the guard from re-entering the U.S. after his participation at the EuroBasket.
Schroder thrived at the European Championship, averaging 22.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in eight games. The 29-year-old and his Germany finished with bronze, making for the biggest success of his national team since his first appearance in 2014.
The playmaker’s EuroBasket performance also convinced the Lakers to offer him a guaranteed one-year deal for the 2022-23 season.
And Schroder is finally about to start his second stint with the Purple and Gold. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports the guard is already in L.A. and should join the team on Monday:
Dennis Schroder is in Los Angeles and will undergo a team physical this weekend and will be able to fully integrate himself with the Lakers starting Monday after their trip to GSW, per coach Darvin Ham
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 8, 2022
If Schroder’s physical goes well, the German will have two preseason games to get acquainted with the 2022-23 Lakers before the start of the campaign.
L.A. will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday before traveling to Northern California for a matchup with the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers have already lost to both teams and are yet to claim a single win in the lead-up to the season’s tip.
Schroder’s arrival should help the Purple and Gold avoid starting head coach Darvin Ham’s first year with the team off a 6-0 preseason. The guard has said he is returning to L.A. to sort out some unfinished business and make things right following his awkward exit in the summer of 2021.
Lakers coordinated Schroder’s workouts with guard’s entourage to help him stay in shape
Schroder will likely need some time to get used to the physicality of the NBA again. However, Ham recently said the Lakers stayed in touch with the guard’s coaches, coordinating his workout routine to minimize the impact of his delayed return.
“He’s doing the best he can to stay in rhythm and to stay in shape,” Ham said. “But it’s nothing like NBA basketball, being in an NBA setting. So once he gets here, we’ll be able to throw him right into the deep end of the pool and see how he responds.
“But Dennis is a high-level player, super duper competitor — and takes great care of himself. So it should be a quick turnaround with him getting in a rhythm.”
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