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Pistons Will Look To Re-Sign Post-Trade Deadline Standout

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Detroit Pistons free agent Dennis Schroder

The Detroit Pistons are “interested in re-signing ” free agent Dennis Schroder , according to HoopsHype insider Michael Scotto, who reports that members of the organization have been impressed by his savviness and leadership both on and off the floor.

The interest sounds mutual. A player who’s been on the move frequently since the turn of the decade, Schroder already was looking for a long-term home. In Detroit, they let him make himself at home.

“I loved Brooklyn. Played there, played great. They wanted to go a different route. Went to Golden State, met incredible people, and then came to Detroit. And I think Detroit is one of the best situations I’ve been in,” he says, per The Mirror’s Damian Burchardt.

“I don’t have to change my style of play, I can be myself… That’s the reason why I’m in the league, 12 years… I love that, that I don’t have to change myself, and I can just be who I am.”

Pistons Will Look To Re-Sign Post-Trade Deadline Standout

There might not have been a player with a stranger season than Schroder.

After his scintillating play in the Paris Olympics, Schroder stayed hot, taking command of the Brooklyn Nets.

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He exceeded expectations to the point where the Nets realized he was making it hard for them to tank. In 23 games, Schroder was averaging 18.4 points and 6.6 assists per contest, the Nets going 9-14 in those matchups. As a result, he was traded to the Golden State Warriors.

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That experiment didn’t go so well .

Out Of Place

Throughout Schroder’s career, he’s been an on-ball playmaker. With the Warriors, he was asked to defer so much that he couldn’t catch his rhythm let alone play his style. Golden State was seemingly looking for a Klay Thompson replacement or Andre Iguodala remake. Schroder is a lot of things, but he’s no Thompson nor Iguodala.

Jan 10, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Dennis Schroder (71) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

In his first two weeks with the Warriors, he averaged 9.9 points on 10.4 field goal attempts per game, with a 20.4 percent usage rate. Over the next month, he averaged 10.9 points on 10.5 field goal attempts per game, with a 21.9 percent usage rate.

For comparison’s sake, he took 14.1 field goal attempts per game and had a 24.1 percent usage rate in Brooklyn. That means when he went to Golden State, they slashed nearly 1/3rd of his shot attempts and shaved off almost 1/5th of his usage. Those changes were significant.

Fortunately for Schroder and the Warriors, the partnership was short-lived. At the trade deadline, Schroder was traded to the Utah Jazz and then re-routed to the Pistons. Ultimately, he would become part of a five-team trade headlined by Jimmy Butler .

Said move not only saved Golden State’s season but Schroder’s.

Getting Comfortable Again

In Detroit, Schroder’s wily shot-creation ability was needed with Jaden Ivey sidelined. Ironically, he took fewer shots with the Pistons than the Warriors, averaging 10.8 points on 9.0 field goal attempts per game. Nevertheless, he had a bit more free reign.

Notably, after scoring 15+ points in 14 games with the Nets, he had scored 15+ points in just four games with the Warriors. With the Pistons, he scored 15+ points in seven games. In his time with Brooklyn, he had four points-assists double-doubles. In Golden State, he had none. With Detroit, he recorded three.

Stabilizer

During the Pistons’ captivating playoff series against the New York Knicks, Schroder was a stabilizing force, even closing out games.

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Frankly, he should’ve been given more opportunities to be impactful though, as he averaged 12.5 points on just 8.8 field goal attempts per game. With Cade Cunningham the focal point of the Knicks’ defense, the typically efficient scorer was streaky.

  • In Game 1, Cunningham shot just 38.1 percent from the field.
  • In Game 2, he improved dramatically, shooting 52.4 percent from the field.
  • In Game 3, he was off again, shooting 40.0 percent from the field.
  • In Game 4, he rediscovered his shooting stroke, converting 47.8 percent of his field goal attempts.
  • In Game 5, Cunningham was back in the red, shooting 35.3 percent from the field.
  • In Game 6, what turned out to be the Pistons’ final game, he shot 40.9 percent from the field.

In all but one of the games Cunningham shot below 41 percent from the field, Schroder took nine or fewer field goal attempts. With that being said, it’s tough to take the ball out of your best players hands. Nonetheless, had Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff shown more trust in the veteran, Detroit might have pulled off the First Round upset.

© Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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