After missing the postseason one year removed from an NBA Finals run, the Dallas Mavericks have major holes to address, specifically at the guard position. Following the Luka Doncic trade to the Los Angeles Lakers and Kyrie Irving’s ACL tear, the Mavericks had to play point guard by committee to survive the season. Spencer Dinwiddie, Naji Marshall, and Brandon Williams stepped up, filling into roles that gave them great responsibility.
With Dinwiddie’s return to Dallas uncertain as he enters free agency, Dallas needs to explore all options available at the guard position. With Irving out of commission until 2026, addressing their need for a point guard needs to be the first thing Dallas does after drafting Cooper Flagg with the number one pick in June’s NBA Draft.
31-year-old Dennis Schroeder would adequately address this need for the Mavericks. Schroeder had short-lived stints in Brooklyn and Golden State this season before he eventually landed in Detroit, backing up Dallas native Cade Cunningham. Schroeder averaged 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds in 28 games for the Pistons, providing stability for a young team that made a fun postseason run.
2025 NBA Playoffs - New York Knicks v Detroit Pistons - Game Six Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Strengths
Schroeder has many strengths that the Mavericks could benefit from, including his pick-and-roll playmaking. His quickness makes him a threat to score off screens, whether from the midrange or in the paint. He is also a sufficient decision-maker with the ball in his hands and will easily form chemistry with Mavericks bigs Dereck Lively and Anthony Davis, whom he's familiar playing with from their time together in Los Angeles. Schroeder’s last year with the Lakers was also Jason Kidd’s last year on their coaching staff before he became the Mavericks head coach.
Schroeder is a pesky defender, too, making him a valued asset to many teams over the last few years. His lateral speed has allowed him to excel as an on-ball defender, and effort is never a worry with him on this side of the ball. He’s also equipped with quick hands, allowing him to easily poke the ball free from offensive players. His experience with the German national team allowed him to improve his team defense IQ, as displayed in their run to the gold medal in the 2023 World Cup.
Weaknesses
Schroeder’s most glaring limitation as a player remains his inability to be a consistent shooter from behind the arc. His career averages hover around 34%, and he shot an even worse 30% in his Detroit stint last season. His lack of spacing causes him to struggle off the ball, too. Another weakness is his lack of size. His 6’1 stature oftentimes gets him in trouble in defensive switches as he struggles to guard players of any substantial size.
2025 NBA Playoffs - Detroit Pistons v New York Knicks - Game Five Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images
Fit with the Mavericks
With the point guard spot wide open for the Mavericks until Irving’s return expected sometime in 2026, Schroeder’s experience and veteran leadership would be beneficial for the Mavericks. With the chaos that was the Mavericks' 2024-25 season, having as much veteran leadership as possible around young guys like Flagg and Lively will be crucial for their development. His familiarity with Davis and Kidd will allow him to fit in here. The best ability is availability, and Schroeder has appeared in 75-plus games over the last two seasons.
He succeeds in pushing the pace in transition, a new identity Dallas has adopted over the last couple of seasons. His ability to easily build chemistry with bigs will lead to plenty of fun lob passes to Dallas’ group of big men. He will fit like a glove in Dallas’ defense with his intensity and effort at the point of attack, becoming a complementary piece to a potentially dangerous defense that includes Flagg, Davis, and Lively.
Given the Mavericks' current circumstances, signing Schroeder would address a gigantic need. Picking up a competent point guard will be detrimental to how the Mavericks' season plays out in Irving’s absence. With Dallas’ tight books, bringing in Schroeder along for the ride would put Dallas in a better position for success next season.