With the news on Tuesday that Kevin Durant will stay with the Brooklyn Nets, it looks like it’s time for the Los Angeles Lakers to give up their pursuit of Kyrie Irving and focus on other targets.
One way or another, their main goal this offseason has been to trade Russell Westbrook while getting some type of viable value back for him.
With Irving seemingly out of the picture, one Westbrook trade rumor would have him going to the Indiana Pacers for sharpshooter Buddy Hield and shot-blocking big man Myles Turner.
The Lakers are also rumored to be interested in signing a free agent point guard who used to play for them very recently.
Via Lakers Daily:
“In fact, one recent report indicated that the Lakers may feel inclined to bring back veteran guard Dennis Schroder depending on how the rest of the roster takes shape in the coming weeks and months.”
Re-signing free agent guard Dennis Schröder is a "legit consideration" for the Lakers, league sources say, depending on how the rest of their roster develops.
After one season as a Laker, Schröder played for Boston and Houston in 2021-22.
More NBA notes: https://t.co/EwiaWFuKoI
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 23, 2022
When Marc Stein says “depending on how the rest of their roster develops,” it sounds as if the Lakers would perhaps sign Schroder if Westbrook is traded.
He would be a nice option as a backup point guard behind Kendrick Nunn, who would presumably be the new starter at that position if Westbrook departs.
Schroder played for the Lakers during the 2020-21 season. Although he became very polarizing among their fan base, partly because he was publicly demanding a huge contract extension, he played solid ball.
He averaged 15.4 points and 5.8 assists per game while starting 61 of the 72 games they played that season.
