NBA Free Agency 2021: Dennis Schroder Pledges One Year, $ 5.9 Million With Celtics, Compared

More than a week after the start of the 2021 NBA free agency period, Dennis Schroder is finally out. The veteran point guard on Tuesday agreed to a one-year, $ 5.9 million contract with the Boston Celtics, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Shortly after Wojnarowski’s report, Schroder confirmed the news that he would be joining the Celtics via his Instagram page.

Schroder spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers and before the trade deadline the team reportedly offered him a four-year extension of $ 84 million. In an apparent attempt to bet on himself, Schroder turned down the offer and decided to see what he could get this summer. This, of course, turned out to be a bad decision.

He got injured towards the end of the season and didn’t perform well in the last few games of the Lakers’ first-round loss to the Suns. When free agency first appeared, there were more leaders looking for big contracts than teams with a need and required ceiling space. While Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry, Lonzo Ball, Mike Conley and, to a lesser extent, Spencer Dinwiddie, Devonte ‘Graham and Derrick Rose all conceded, Schroder was the odd one out.

While he probably could have gotten over $ 5.9 million somewhere, he decided to double his own abilities and will use this season with the Celtics to prove his worth before free agency in 2022. With the Celtics too looking to the future, it seems like a short-term partnership where both parties can help each other.

The Celtics needed some leadership depth after losing Kemba Walker, and Schroder is more than capable of filling that role. He hasn’t had the best season with the Lakers, but there have been a few injuries and trying to fit in alongside LeBron James isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Despite that, he still racked up 15.4 points and 5.8 assists per game. He’s not much of a 3-point threat, but he’ll provide a much-needed offensive presence – his four free throw attempts per game last season would have been third on the Celtics – and can help their perimeter defense. He will help close the gap and keep the Celtics competitive this season while maintaining their flexibility going forward.

As for Schroder, he will have the chance to play in a large market, team up with two of the league’s best young wingers and make the playoffs. Based on what the roster looks like right now, Schroder is expected to take on the playmaker role and get some important minutes off the bench. And since the Celtics will need his score to compliment Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, he will have the opportunity to present some numbers. If he plays well for the Celtics and helps them bounce back from a disappointing season, he could recoup some of the money he lost with a bigger 2022 free agency offer.