Cavs: 2 reasons they should absolutely not sign Dennis Schroder
2 reasons they should not sign Dennis Schroder: Darius Garland is the future
Dennis Schroder was once the young point guard prospect with the potential to grow into something great, and when the Atlanta Hawks began their short-term rebuild he was the centerpiece of their offense. Once he showed that he lacked star upside, they sent him to the Oklahoma City Thunder and drafted Trae Young.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers would be making a mistake if they pulled off the reverse of that move, bringing in Schroder when they have a young point guard they need to continue to develop. No matter what his contract number, Schroder would be coming to Cleveland to recoup his value, and to do so he would need minutes and touches.
This could quickly become a coaching nightmare, with too many dueling pressures. The front office will want to see Garland developed, while Schroder wants to maximize his stats to hit the open market, and ownership wants to make a run at the postseason. If the end result is Garland starting and playing over Schroder, then things could turn contentious quickly.
Schroder has experience playing at the 2 from his year with Chris Paul, but the Cavs have a young starter entrenched there as well in Collin Sexton. Not only should he rightly feel entitled to a prominent role in the offense, but the Cavs need to get as much data as possible on him before he hits restricted free agency next summer.
The Cavs already traded for a veteran guard to back up Garland and provide some mentorship at the position. Ricky Rubio is an excellent choice to fill that role. Schroder would not be, focused on maximizing his touches, not passing the torch.
The presence of Garland also makes it difficult to see a path to bringing back Schroder next season, making this a pure rental as he will look to hit the market and get a more substantial payday. The Cavs hope to win more games next season, but they’re not contending, and the focus is still on the future more so than the present. A rental stuffed into a crowded point guard room is not the answer.