Schroder leaves Lakers, signs 1-year deal with Celtics
Former Los Angeles Laker Dennis Schroder is leaving the Staples Center after a year in LA. He announced on Instagram he will be signing with the Celtics.
Free-agent point guard Dennis Schroder posted on his Instagram account that he is leaving Los Angeles to join the Boston Celtics next season.
Schroder is the latest name on a long list of departures leaving the Staples Center, after a frenzy of offseason signings by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Schroder to Boston for a year
The deal is for just one year, and is worth $5.9 million according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The German guard was hoping for a big money, long term deal this offseason and even turned down a long term extension worth over $80 million from the Lakers in the regular season.
The Celtics were left with out a starting point guard a few weeks ago when Kemba Walker was traded to Oklahoma City. Schroder will step in to the TD Garden as the favorite to fill the hole left by Walker.
Schroder: This is one of the best franchises in the NBA
"I'm proud to announce that for the 2021-22 season I'll be playing for the Boston Celtics!" Schroder wrote on his Instagram stories. "This is one of the best franchises in NBA history and it will be a honour to put on the green and white and do what I love! I'm going out there every night and leaving it all on the floor for the city!! Who's ready?"
Schroder played in all but 11 games last year, and averaged 15.4 points and 5.8 assists. The majority of the games he missed came deep in the regular season when he entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols. After telling a German media outlet that he and LeBron James were the only ones not to get vaccinated, he later told LA reporters "I'm the only guy that didn't get vaccinated. I'll just leave it at that."
Celtics looking to bounce back under new front office
The Celtics are looking to revamp their franchise after a disappointing regular season left them in seventh in the Eastern Conference. After getting knocked out of the first round of the playoffs, president of basketball operations Danny Ainge stepped down after 18 years.
The Lakers have had the busiest offseason of any team in the league after bringing in Russell Westbrook, Kendrick Nunn, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard among others. Schroder, Alex Caruso, Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell will all be playing for different teams to start next season after leaving the Lakers over the last month.