1. Dennis Schroder and the Portland Trail Blazers could form a very successful temporary partnership
It’s safe to say that Dennis Schroder‘s services would be a bit of a luxury for the Portland Trail Blazers. With Norman Powell signed on for the next five seasons and McLemore and Snell coming to Rip City, the Blazers have a surplus of players who could play guard.
Schroder has a few skills though that are lacking among Portland’s myriad small guys: slashing, playmaking, and point-of-attack defense.
Schroder would actually be a perfect fit as a table-setter for the Blazers reserves. His speed in transition, ability to get down-hill, and vision to find open shooters would unlock Portland’s bench.
He’s also an underrated defender at his position. While Portland is certainly not lacking in small guards, he’d be the best defender amongst them aside from Powell.
Schroder came into this offseason seeking a nine-digit contract. Things haven’t gone as planned for the German point guard as the latest news has him potentially joining the Boston Celtics on much less than he initially expected.
If things get more desperate, General Manager Neil Olshey should try to poach him for the Blazers, on the premise that he can rebuild his worth on a competitive team that truly needs his services.
Even with CJ McCollum on the roster, Schroder’s defense and playmaking are sorely needed. If the Blazers end up moving McCollum for a two-way forward later in the year, say Ben Simmons or Pascal Siakam, Schroder would become exponentially more instrumental to Portland’s plans.