The Golden State Warriors aren’t finished making moves after finalizing a deal on Saturday, December 14, to acquire veteran point guard Dennis Schröder from the Brooklyn Nets, as reported by ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania.
Charania added during ABC’s “NBA Countdown” for the Emirates NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas, “This deal doesn’t take the Warriors out of the hunt for a star player. They remain active and can combine Schröder’s contract for a larger move later in the season.”
In exchange for Schröder, the Warriors are sending three future second-round picks and De’Anthony Melton’s expiring $12.8 million contract to the Nets. In return, they also receive one future second-round pick and the 31-year-old German point guard.
Schröder’s contract is set to expire at $13 million.
Jimmy Butler Trade as Warriors’ Next Move
The Warriors are among the four teams on Jimmy Butler’s preferred list if the Miami Heat choose to trade him. Golden State could combine Schröder’s contract with other players to match Butler’s $48.8 million salary for this season.
The other three teams Butler favors are the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, and Phoenix Suns, according to Charania.
Butler is expected to decline his $52.4 million player option to enter unrestricted free agency, as Charania previously reported.
Marc Stein, an NBA insider, notes that the Warriors have the most serious interest in Butler among the four teams. He wrote, “League insiders continue to say that Golden State, as of now, is the only team actively pursuing Butler, with potential trade talks on the horizon.”
The Rockets have already ruled out making a major trade, stepping away from the Butler race. The Mavericks also have not shown serious interest, while a Suns trade is complicated by Bradley Beal’s no-trade clause and his massive contract.
Steve Kerr’s Vision for Dennis Schröder’s Role
Charania reported that Warriors stars Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and coach Steve Kerr supported the Schröder trade. Kerr, in particular, values Schröder’s skills, having faced him as a key player for Germany in international competitions.
Schröder, who was a standout in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, leading Germany to gold and winning tournament MVP, has been performing well with the Nets this season. He’s averaging 18.4 points and a career-high 6.6 assists per game, with an impressive 39% shooting on 6.5 three-point attempts per game. This aligns well with the Warriors’ offensive style.
The Warriors expect Schröder to start alongside Curry, similar to Melton’s role before his season-ending injury disrupted the team’s rotation. With Melton, the Warriors were 4-2, but they’ve gone 5-8 since his injury.
Kerr and the Warriors hope Schröder’s arrival will help stabilize the team.
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