Dennis Schroder Opens Up After Trade to Cavaliers: “New Team, New Opportunity”
Dennis Schroder didn’t have to find out about his latest trade on Twitter - he got the call directly from the front office. And while the move from Sacramento to Cleveland may have caught some fans off guard, Schroder himself saw it coming.
The veteran guard, now headed to his 11th NBA team in 13 seasons, was dealt to the Cavaliers along with Keon Ellis in exchange for forward De’Andre Hunter - a player Kings GM Scott Perry has long admired. Sacramento also sent forward Dario Saric to the Bulls as part of the multi-team deal that went down Saturday night.
For Schroder, the news came while the Kings were on the road in Washington, D.C. He was in his hotel room when Kings assistant GM BJ Armstrong gave him the call.
“A day before we arrived in Washington, we had a game,” Schroder said in a video posted to his social media. “The next day, I was in bed and got a call from BJ Armstrong, and I knew it was coming.”
He added that the move didn’t exactly blindside him. “You hear the outside noise all the time,” he said. “The change wasn’t really surprising.”
But even if the trade wasn’t a shock, the reality of relocating - again - hit hard. Schroder spoke candidly about the personal side of being traded midseason.
“At first, I was thinking about my family,” he said. “Of course, they live with me here, and we’ve been through it a little bit already last season, especially. So that was my first thought.”
Then came the logistics - the part fans don’t always see. “My second thought was the house - the moving part, the furniture we have here and bringing it to Cleveland.”
Still, once the dust settled, Schroder’s mindset shifted toward the opportunity in front of him - joining a Cavaliers team that’s currently sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference and very much in the playoff mix.
“My third thought was to be excited about the new team and the new opportunity,” Schroder said. “They compete every single game, and they want to win.”
That’s a team identity Schroder can fit into. After a rocky start to the season in Sacramento - where he struggled in a starting role - the 30-year-old found his rhythm coming off the bench. Since being moved behind Russell Westbrook in the rotation, Schroder has averaged 13.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game over 26 contests, shooting 42% from the field, 36% from deep, and 80% from the line.
It’s a solid bounce-back stretch for a player who signed a three-year, $44.5 million deal with the Kings this past offseason. Now, he’ll look to carry that momentum into Cleveland, where his veteran presence and ability to run an offense could be a key asset for a Cavs team eyeing a deep postseason run.
The Kings, meanwhile, face a quick turnaround as they adjust to life without Schroder. They’re set to host the Memphis Grizzlies next, with a packed schedule ahead - including a matchup against the Cavaliers on February 7th that could bring a quick reunion for Schroder and his former teammates.
For now, though, Schroder’s focus is on the road ahead.
“New team, new opportunity,” he said. “Let’s get to work.”