When it comes to the Cleveland Cavaliers' three-team trade with the Sacramento Kings and the Chicago Bulls, the Cavs came up with one of the most popular names on the trade market in Keon Ellis.
He's not the highest-paid player in the deal, but he's primed for a nice payday once he finds a team to get settled in with. The Cavs hope it's a solid match.
But beyond Ellis, the former NBA veteran Jeff Teague believes that the Cavaliers got an even better return in the deal with the addition of Dennis Schroder.
Although the fact that Schroder has been bouncing around the league for years tends to come off as a bad look for the veteran guard, Teague doesn't see it that way at all. On Club 520, the one-time All-Star explained that Ellis is a solid pickup, but Schroder fills a massive void.
"I think this really puts them back in the playoff hunt. Keon Ellis is a really good pick up, but Dennis Schröder, bro, every team he goes to, when he comes off the bench, he turns them up," Teague said on his show.
"He brings this kind of of energy, me being on his team, I understand what type of energy he brings. He brings this feisty, competitive energy. He’s going to talk s***, and he's going to do all that. The Cavs were missing that. The Cavs were kind of looked at as like a soft team. You didn't really see anybody on their team that was going to be like, do anything that's like a little chippy."
Teague went on to name-drop a few of Cleveland's core, pointing out that they don't bring an enforcer qualities. Schroder, on the other hand, has proven many times that he isn't afraid to step into that kind of role if it's called for.
"Dennis Schroder is the complete opposite [of the Cavs]," Teague said. "You need that."
The former 17th overall pick entered the NBA in 2013, starting his career with the Atlanta Hawks. For the first five years of his career, Schroder had stability, playing for the same team. He changed uniforms for the first time in 2018, joining the Oklahoma City Thunder. After two seasons with the Thunder, Schroder's journey went in many different directions.
Since 2020, he has played for eight different teams. Cleveland will mark his ninth. Just last year, Schroder was traded twice in-season, suiting up for the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, and the Detroit Pistons.
Teague's sentiment isn't off-base. Although Schroder's recent movement doesn't seem like a good look, he gave the Pistons a nice boost during their playoff run last year. In six games, Schroder averaged 12.5 points off the bench, shooting 47 percent from three. He was a high-energy presence, and one of the most productive players during that first-round series against the Knicks.
There is a reason why the Kings came to the table with a $44 million deal. Unfortunately, the Kings have many issues this year. Schroder couldn't save them.
In the end, he won't even finish out one season with the Kings. The veteran guard will pick up with the Cavaliers this week, going from a 13-win situation to a team with a 30-21 record. The Cavs will soon find out if Schroder can give them the boost they need in the postseason.
Newsweek