Dennis Schroder’s first stint with the Los Angeles Lakers did not go as planned after the team flamed out in the first round of the playoffs in 2021.
Schroder turned down a lucrative four-year extension with the Lakers, and that ended up being a disastrous choice as he was forced to settle for much less money in free agency.
After stints with the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets, Schroder and Los Angeles were able to reunite this past summer. On a minimum deal, the point guard is a value signing for the Lakers but he has been unable to participate in team activities due to an issue with his work visa.
However, it looks like the delay was resolved as he will reportedly join L.A. this weekend, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
“Point guard Dennis Schroder is scheduled to fly from Germany to Los Angeles and report to the Lakers this weekend after missing the first week and a half of training camp, sources told ESPN.”
As of now, it’s unclear if Schroder will make his preseason debut on Sunday against the Golden State Warriors but it’s good that he’ll finally be able to practice and be around the team. L.A. has already played three preseason games and with only three games remaining, there might not be enough time for Schroder to claim a rotation spot.
Ham previously mentioned that Schroder had been doing his best to stay in game shape, and he could opt to just throw him into game action and see how he responds. In his absence, guards like Austin Reaves and Kendrick Nunn have been given extended run and look like candidates to receive a good chunk of minutes.
Schroder still profiles to be a backup point guard option for Russell Westbrook, but his role on the team is ultimately going to come down to how he performs when given opportunities.
Dennis Schroder reveals Lakers reunion had been works for three months
When Schroder and the Lakers parted ways a couple summers ago, it felt like that relationship had reached its end. However, Schroder revealed in an interview that he had been talking to the team for months and knew he would wind up back in L.A.
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