On Saturday, the Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets struck a deal to send Dennis Schroder to the Bay Area. The move benefited both teams.
Brooklyn lost its most impactful player, allowing them to chase a lottery spot in the upcoming draft, while the Warriors gained another scorer to help ease their fourth-quarter struggles.
Warriors fans will be pleased to know that adding Schroder doesn’t mean the franchise can’t continue to pursue a Jimmy Butler trade. The franchise has been linked with the veteran forward for close to a year. The rumors surrounding Golden State and Butler reached a fever pitch when ESPN’s Shams Charania noted that the All-Star forward would potentially consider a move to the aging dynasty.
According to Jake Fischer, writing in Sunday’s edition of ‘The SteinLine Newsletter,’ Schroder could potentially be packaged as part of a Butler deal closer to the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
“The true beauty of the move for the Warriors is twofold: 1. They did not need to surrender any first-round draft compensation to get a player who can help immediately; 2. Schroder can still be packaged with other Warriors in a subsequent trade this season because the Brooklyn deal was completed before Dec. 16,” Fischer wrote.
Schroder will undoubtedly give Steve Kerr’s team a boost. Most importantly, he will help boost the team during the final stretch. Schroder was second on the Nets for points scored during the fourth quarter, averaging 4.8 on 45.6% shooting. He was also Brooklyn’s leading fourth-quarter playmaker with 1.6 assists per game.
Golden State badly needed someone to come in and provide a jolt during the final 12 minutes.
Nevertheless, if Schroder is part of the cost of doing business with Miami, it’s unlikely the front office will be put off. Butler is a player at a different level and is a proven commodity during the postseason. He would also be an upgrade in terms of clutch-time scoring and playmaking.
By adding Schroder, the Warriors have reduced their reliance on a potential trade for Butler but potentially strengthened their negotiating position. The front office has made an all-around smart move by adding the shifty guard to their roster.
Still, it might be wise for Schroder to hold tight before he unpacks and gets accustomed to his new surroundings, at least until he wakes up on Feb. 7.
