Dennis Schröder was one of several Detroit Pistons free agents that the organization wanted to retain last offseason. The veteran guard had emerged as a key rotation piece in the second half of the season and the playoffs. However, the Pistons weren't able to keep him after the Sacramento Kings offered him a three-year, $44 million contract. Schröder is now off to a very poor start in Sacramento, highlighting the correct decision the Pistons made by letting him walk.
Dennis Schröder-Sacramento Kings Union Is Off to a Horrible Start
The German point guard is in the midst of his least efficient season since his rookie campaign, averaging a 47.8% True Shooting through ten games. He is rarely going to the free-throw line, averaging his lowest free-throw attempt rate. He is also making only 28.3% of his threes.
Despite this, he has started in all ten of Sacramento's games, playing 31.6 minutes per game.
The Kings have a ton of guard depth, with Russell Westbrook, Keon Ellis, Malik Monk, and Zach LaVine also in the rotation. With two more ball-dominant players DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis in the starting lineup as well, the Kings are obviously not the easiest team to fit in. Even then, this level of inefficiency from your starting point guard is unacceptable. It is also a big reason why the Kings are 3-7 for the season and have a -8.6 net rating, the fifth-worst mark in the league.
This is a common trend for Schröder. He shines in a smaller role, gets paid, and lands a larger role. He tends to disappoint in that large role before going through this cycle again. That is how he has ended up playing for ten teams in his 13-year career.
Detroit Discount Could Have Benefitted Schröder and Pistons
If he had stayed in Detroit, Schröder would have had a much more defined role where he could have thrived. His inefficiency would be less of an issue as a backup. His playmaking would have been important in non-Cade Cunningham minutes. His defensive chops would have allowed the Pistons to continue to be an elite defensive group, even with the bench unit in the game.
Yet, if the Pistons had to beat Sacramento's offer to keep the 32-year-old in Detroit, they certainly made the right call. It's difficult to imagine Schröder being worth the $14.8 million in 2026-27 and $15.5 million in 2027-28 that the Kings owe him. One has to imagine, however, that Schröder would now sacrifice some of that to be playing on an Eastern Conference contender like the Pistons rather than a surefire lottery team like the Kings.