The Los Angeles Lakers watched Dennis Schroder walk out the door twice, including when the Raptors made a massive overpay in 2023, and now the veteran point guard is the rival Kings’ headache. Sacramento fans should have known this was coming. Schroder is not a starting point guard on a contending roster, and all Lakers fans can do is laugh at the disaster unfolding in the California capital.
The Kings have won just three of their first ten games, despite having a veteran-laden roster. They acquired Schroder in a sign-and-trade to be their starting point guard. Sacramento gave him a three-year contract worth $44.4 million, but it hasn’t worked in the slightest. The Kings have too many score-first players and no defense, which is resulting in disaster.
Lakers fans know the story. Schroder struggled to make shots in two playoff appearances playing next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis in Los Angeles. He even saw his role decrease in their run to the conference finals in 2023. The 32-year-old isn’t suddenly learning new tricks. The Kings bought the ticket this offseason and are now forced to take a ride Lakers supporters know too well.
Lakers fans are laughing as Dennis Schroder’s problems mount in Sacramento
Schroder is averaging 12.7 points, 6.5 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 31.5 minutes per game through ten contests. Those numbers are passable until fans look closer. His efficiency is problematic as Schroder is shooting 39.2 percent from the field and 28.2 percent on his 3-point attempts. The Kings have been outscored by 100 points with him on the floor this season.
The advanced metrics are even worse. Schroder has a negative value over replacement player (VORP) and sits 180th of 194 qualified players in win shares per 48 minutes. He has been one of the worst players in the NBA to begin this season, and things aren’t getting any better in Sacramento.
Lakers fans can’t believe the Kings thought they could seriously contend after adding Schroder to a roster led by Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan. They are miles from a playoff team and would be wise to blow things up before the trade deadline. Schroder is a legend for the German National Team, but he can’t save this roster in Sacramento.
It is going to get worse before it gets better, and Lakers fans are loving it. The heated rival in the early 2000s still gets longtime supporters fired up to dominate their in-state rivals. Vivek Ranadive’s mismanagement seemingly never ends. It has given LA supporters plenty of laughs in recent years, but this is an all-time low. They gutted the Beam Team for this? It is hard to figure out, but Lakers fans are not complaining.
Dennis Schroder is not the answer for the Kings, but Los Angeles Lakers fans already knew that. He is not a starting point guard on a serious NBA contender. The veteran has proved it once again, and LA supporters are loving watching Sacramento plummet to the bottom of the standings. This victory will be sweet all season.
