Cavaliers Regret Dennis Schroder Move Lakers Fans Saw Coming

Despite a perfect start to his Cavaliers tenure, Dennis Schrder is already showing signs of a familiar and frustrating trend that past teams-and Lakers fans-know all too well.

Dennis Schröder’s Shooting Struggles Continue in Cleveland, Despite Cavaliers’ Hot Streak

Dennis Schröder is no stranger to change. Since his second stint with the Lakers ended in 2023, the veteran point guard has been on a basketball odyssey, suiting up for six different teams in just over two seasons. Now with the Cavaliers, the 32-year-old is looking to find his footing - again - this time in a Cleveland rotation with big aspirations and little margin for error.

So far, the results have been a mixed bag.

The Cavaliers are undefeated in the Schröder era, going 4-0 since his arrival via trade from Sacramento. That’s the good news.

The energy he brings off the bench has injected some spark into Cleveland’s second unit, but the shooting? That’s been a different story.

Through his first four games, Schröder has yet to find a rhythm offensively. He opened with an 11-point outing on 5-of-14 shooting, followed by a 3-of-9 night for seven points.

Then came a 2-of-7 performance for five points, and most recently, a 1-of-5 showing that still somehow resulted in seven points. From beyond the arc, he’s just 2-for-15 - that’s 13.3% for those keeping score.

For Lakers fans, this is familiar territory. Schröder’s shooting inconsistencies were a recurring theme during both of his stints in Los Angeles.

In the 2023 playoffs, he shot just 39.8% from the field and 33.3% from deep over 17 games. Go back to 2021, and the numbers dip even further - 40% from the floor and 30.8% from three in a six-game postseason stretch.

So while Cleveland is piling up wins, Schröder is still trying to find his shot.

His path to Ohio has been anything but linear. After helping the Pistons make a late-season push toward the playoffs last year, he was moved again in the offseason - this time in a sign-and-trade deal that landed him a three-year, $45 million contract with the Kings.

Sacramento initially envisioned him as their starting point guard, but that plan didn’t last long. Whether it was fit, performance, or a combination of both, the Kings pivoted quickly, sending him to Cleveland before the deadline.

Now, Schröder is back in a more familiar role: coming off the bench, just as he did in Detroit. And while that role suits him better, it doesn’t erase the concerns.

The shooting struggles are front and center, but his ball security is also something to monitor. He coughed up three turnovers in his Cavaliers debut, though he’s kept it cleaner since, with just two in the last three games.

Cleveland’s front office made a bold move at the deadline, trading Darius Garland in a blockbuster deal that brought in James Harden. The move was all about urgency - the Cavaliers are in win-now mode, especially with Donovan Mitchell holding a player option for the 2027-28 season.

If he declines it, he becomes an unrestricted free agent. That’s a ticking clock the franchise can’t ignore.

Harden is expected to carry much of the offensive load come playoff time, but the Cavs are also hoping Schröder can give them productive minutes off the bench - and maybe, just maybe, knock down some shots when it matters most.

It’s a familiar hope. One the Lakers once had, too.