The Cleveland Cavaliers have recently acquired Dennis Schroder, a player whose career serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of betting on oneself. Back in March 2021, Schroder reportedly declined a lucrative four-year, $84 million extension from the Los Angeles Lakers. At the time, he was consistently delivering over 15 points and 4 assists per game for the fifth consecutive season and was seemingly honing his three-point shooting skills.

Schroder’s decision wasn’t entirely unfounded. He was concluding a four-year, $70 million contract he had initially secured with the Atlanta Hawks. Given his steady or improved performance throughout that period, he anticipated a significant pay increase heading into free agency.

However, Schroder faced an unexpected turn of events when the market for point guards diminished, leaving him unsigned. Compounding the issue, his scoring, field goal accuracy, and three-point shooting dipped during his tenure with the Lakers compared to his previous stint with Oklahoma City. This decline, despite starting for the Lakers rather than coming off the bench as he did for the Thunder, may have signaled to teams that his best days were behind him.

Ultimately, Schroder accepted a one-year, $5.89 million contract with the Boston Celtics, utilizing the taxpayer mid-level exception. Since rejecting the Lakers’ offer, Schroder has journeyed through nine different NBA teams. Here’s a look at his earnings over that period.

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Schroder’s time with the Celtics was short-lived; after 49 games, he was traded to the Houston Rockets. The Rockets opted not to renew his contract in free agency, leading Schroder back to the Lakers, albeit at a significantly reduced veteran minimum salary of approximately $2.64 million.

His performance with the Lakers earned him a two-year deal with the Toronto Raptors ahead of the 2023-24 season, valued at just over $25.4 million. Yet once more, Schroder did not complete a full season with his signing team, as Toronto traded him to the Brooklyn Nets after just 51 games.

The next season, Schroder got traded twice. He played 23 games for the Nets, 24 games for the Golden State Warriors, and 28 games for the Detroit Pistons. After winning the franchise’s first playoff games since 2008, the Pistons signed Schroder to a three-year extension worth $44.4 million over three years, but then immediately traded him to the Sacramento Kings.

And wouldn’t you know it, Schroder once again did not make it through a full season with the same team after signing a new contract. Schroder played 40 games before the Kings shipped him off to the Cavs in a three-team deal.

Phew, that’s a lot. Let’s recap the math:

• 2021: 1 year, $5.89 million
• 2022: 1 year, $2.64 million
• 2023: 2 years, $25.43 million
• 2025: 3 years, $44.44 million
• Total: $78.4 million

The next time Schroder is a free agent, he’ll be 35 years old, which is typically the twilight years of an NBA career. And over those seven years, he’ll have made $5.6 million less than if he agreed to the original Lakers deal in 2021. Assuming he kept playing at the same level, he probably would be in the midst of another long-term contract right now worth between $40 and $60 million, so he’s likely lost even more money.

That’s not to say Schroder still hasn’t had a lucrative NBA career. He’s made about $117.1 million since he entered the league in 2013, and he’ll still earn more than $30 million over the next two seasons.

This latest trade could even be a blessing for him. This year has been a lost season for the Kings, and Schroder was a minus player on a hefty contract for the team. Maybe a change of scenery and a more competitive roster in Cleveland can help him right the ship. Either way, Schroder still hasn’t equaled what he turned down five years ago, and that’s got to sting.