Proposed Trade Has Lakers Reuniting With Polarizing Guard

Getty Images Dennis Schroder of the Boston Celtics.

Dennis Schroder’s first stint with the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t go as planned, but perhaps a reunion could be in the cards for the Celtics guard with the trade deadline approaching.

Schroder was floated as an option for the Lakers during a chat between Heavy.com NBA editor Sean Deveney and NBA insider Steve Bulpett ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline.

“A guy that might, or would seem to fit a little bit there, is a guy they had, Dennis Schroder,” Bulpett said. “Bringing him in there would seem to go along with this stuff.

“He is going to need a place to play, and the Celtics, it looks like they’re going to try to find a way to move him to get that cap flexibility that they need this summer if they want to make any serious moves. That’s a person that might fit what they’re trying to do anyway. He’s a guy that can bring shooting as well, at times. In the last few games with the Celtics, he has been fantastic.”

Schroder is averaging 14.4 points per game and 4.2 assists with the Celtics, playing just over 29 minutes per game.

Schroder Didn’t Have Great Time With Lakers

Schroder only spent a season with the Lakers but quite a bit happened during his time wearing purple and gold. Most notably, Schroder turned down a four-year contract extension worth up to $84 million. That ended up biting him bad when he failed to garner interest as a free agent, eventually opting to sign a one-year prove-it deal with the Celtics for just $5.89 million.

There were also reports that Schroder clashed with members of the locker room and his tough showing

Deveney was not as bullish about Schroder being on the Lakers’ radar.

“I can’t imagine Schroder saying, ‘All right, I’ll go back.’ It was such an ugly way that things unfolded there with the extension that wasn’t signed,” he said.

With the Celtics looking to get under the luxury tax, a swap of Schroder for injured Lakers guard Kendrick Nunn would work. Nunn is being paid just $5 million this season, which would save the Celtics a small chunk of change.

Lakers Desperate for Roster Shake-Up

The Lakers sit at 26-29 after a loss to the Bucks on Tuesday night and the team is desperate for a shake-up at the trade deadline. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported after Tuesday’s loss that “standing pat and hoping that winning percentage improves to finish the season strong is not seen as a viable option by players on the team.”

A frustrated LeBron James addressed the team’s struggles after the game but noted they aren’t throwing in the towel.

“There’s still a lot of basketball to be played,” James told reporters. “There’s still an opportunity for us to make a mark on this season, but it’s going to take some, it’s going to take a lot. It’s going to take a lot. But nothing is worth having if it’s not worth working for.”

The real problem for the Lakers is that they have limited resources to make a deal happen. Talen Horton-Tucker, Nunn and a 2027 first-round pick are the best assets the Lakers can package and the value of a deal including those things can be debated.