3 former Lakers guards who could replace Ricky Rubio on Cavaliers

No. 2: Dennis Schroder, Los Angeles Lakers

If Kendrick Nunn had his career resurgence after leaving the Lakers, Dennis Schroder had his when he returned to the Lakers. Scroder’s career was starting to ebb away after its peak on the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019-20. The Lakers traded for him after that year and Schroder struggled in the off-ball role he played on that team, and as Los Angeles moved on he was forced to sign on a bargain contract with the Boston Celtics.

He found his way back to the Lakers on a minimum deal this past season and proved his value as a rotation guard. His on-ball defense was at its best, and he displayed in the playoffs how versatile a defender he can be. His shot was inconsistent, a concern for any team that signs him, but he has the potential to space the court enough not to be a complete problem on that end.

Schroder is also a solid passer and on-ball scorer as well, certainly not to the point he should be signed to run an offense as a starting point guard, but he is very capable of being a high-end backup and attacking defenses in secondary actions.

The salary Schroder will be expecting may not materialize, but he won’t be available for a minimum deal this summer. If his market ends up around the Bi-Annual Exception, the Cavs can sign Schroder to a deal that won’t cripple their ability to go after a wing with the Mid-Level Exception.