The NBA trade deadline is coming up on Thursday, meaning deals around the league should be picking up in the coming days as teams try and bolster their rosters or plan for the future.
Late Saturday night, another major deal came through as the Cleveland Cavaliers traded former top-4 pick De’Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings.
As part of the three-team trade — roping in the Chicago Bulls — former Detroit Pistons guard Dennis Schroder was part of the return to the Cavaliers.
This marks the third straight season Schroder has been dealt around the trade deadline, including last season when he was acquired by the Pistons as part of the five-team deal that sent Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors.
The full trade reportedly sends Hunter to the Kings, Schroder and Keon Ellis to the Cavaliers and had Sacramento sending Dario Saric and two future second-round picks to the Bulls.
Schroder, 32, will join his 11th team over a 13-year career. After spending his first five seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, Schroder has frequently been on the move and become a regular trade piece midseason.
He’s consistently proved to be an impact guard off the bench, receiving votes for Sixth Man of the Year four times in his career while averaging 13.9 points and 4.9 assists during his time in the NBA.
In 2024, Schroder was dealt from the Toronto Raptors to the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline and finished out the season before beginning the following season largely as a starter.
He was traded to the Warriors in December 2024, but it would be the Pistons acquiring him at the season’s trade deadline to help pick up some slack after Jaden Ivey suffered a season-ending injury.
Schroder proved an important part of the Pistons’ historic season — tripling their previous season win total — and their push to the playoffs. During the postseason, Schroder [helped Detroit stay competitive](https://www.mlive.com/pistons/2025/04/fearless-dennis-schroder-led-pistons-bench-domination.html) in their six-game series defeat against the New York Knicks, averaging 12.5 points off the bench while shooting 49% from the field and 47.6% from three-point range.
Some young Pistons players like Ivey and Marcus Sasser praised Schroder as a mentor for taking part in their personal development during his short time with the franchise.
The Pistons would deal Schroder to the Kings during the offseason in a sign-and-trade that [netted Detroit a traded player exception](https://www.mlive.com/pistons/2025/07/pistons-complete-sign-and-trade-with-kings-heres-what-they-got-in-return.html) it still holds approaching the trade deadline.
Schroder was playing around his typical level — 12.8 points and 5.3 assists per game — for a Kings team that’s struggled in part due to injuries and sits bottom of the NBA.
He now joins a Cleveland team right in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Pistons have two more matchups with the Cavaliers on Feb. 27 and March 3.