The Sacramento Kings introduce their 2025 NBA draft selections, Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford, during a news conference at Golden 1 Center on July 3, 2025. By Paul Kitagaki Jr.
The Kings have sought stability at the point guard position since trading De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.
Dennis Schroder has been seeking stability in his personal and professional lives after playing for nine teams over 12 seasons in the NBA.
The two sides came together with a common goal and mutual appreciation Tuesday when the Kings welcomed Schroder to Sacramento during an introductory press conference at Golden 1 Center.
General manager Scott Perry said the Kings made Schroder a priority early in the free agency process. After weeks of speculation, they finally got their man when they finalized a sign-and-trade agreement with the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
“I’ve been in this league 12 years now,” Schroder said. “I’m 31, got three kids, my wife, so I’m really, really grateful to be around this league such a long time, but to have a GM and an organization prioritize me as their starting point guard means the world to me. I want to give it back, of course, every single day, every single practice, games, to leave it all on the floor and give everything for this organization.”
A league source told The Sacramento Bee the Kings signed Schroder using part of the $16.8 million trade exception they created when they sent Kevin Huerter to the Chicago Bulls as part of the De’Aaron Fox trade. HoopsHype reported that Schroder received a three-year, $44.4 million contract with a partial guarantee of $4.35 million in the third year.
Perry said Schroder embodies the identity he wants to establish in Sacramento.
“If you can recall my opening press conference, I talked about this need for this team and the organization at the point guard position,” Perry said. “I also talked about creating an identity for this team and this organization and how we wanted to play. As a reminder, those six things are: competitive, tough, team oriented, disciplined, accountable and professional.
“When you marry those two things together, when free agency was embarking upon us, this was the No. 1 guy we felt in the league for us that was going to fit that bill and help us establish that sustainable success that we are striving to get.”
Sacramento’s starting lineup
Schroder will join a projected lineup that features Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis. Schroder believes there is enough talent in Sacramento for the Kings to have a winning season.
“I know Zach LaVine a little bit (and) Deebo as well,” Schroder said. “A couple of my new teammates are with Mark Bartelstein, our agent, so I’m looking forward to meeting everyone, but I think we can be great.
“We’ve got a lot of talent in this room. I think we’ve just got the build the chemistry together and prioritize winning, making sure that every single game counts, and we want to go out there and make sure we beat everybody’s ass.”
Perry chuckled at Schroder’s choice of words.
“That’s music to my ears,” Perry said. “Obviously, we talked a lot about that in terms of this season being so important that when people come see the Kings play, home or on the road, they know they’re going to get a very tough, hard-playing team that plays together and leaves it all out on the floor each and every night. We can live with the results if we do that, and we believe strongly that this guy is going to be the catalyst to that.”
Schroder’s background before Sacramento
Schroder will be playing for his 10th team. He was traded four times last season, going from the Brooklyn Nets to the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and Utah Jazz before landing in Detroit.
Schroder averaged 13.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 0.9 steals over 75 games for the Nets, Warriors and Pistons last season, shooting 40.6% from the field and 34.2% from 3-point range. Schroder’s numbers tailed off after a strong start in Brooklyn, where he averaged 18.4 points and 6.6 assists while shooting 38.7% from long distance over the first 23 games.
Now, Schroder has a new home, a new opportunity and a common goal of achieving some sense of stability in Sacramento.
“I’ve got to say before Brooklyn, Detroit, all those teams, I always felt great,” Schroder said. “I’m not disrespecting anyone, but to have this commitment from the organization and from Scott is what I didn’t have the last couple of years, and I’m going to make sure I repay him for that with all those little things I bring every single day. It’s a big opportunity for me, for the organization, for the team to be great, and I’m going to give everything I have to be great this season.”