The Golden State Warriors have gone all-in on their season with their trade for Dennis Schroder and the hope is that it sparks their season back to life.
Mike Dunleavy Jr played a masterstroke to land Schroder for the haul that he did and the German’s brilliant form, if carried to the Bay Area, will give Steph Curry and Co. a huge boost.
He was averaging 18.4 points and 6.6 assists per game for the Brooklyn Nets, almost being too good for a rebuilding team which necessitated his trade.
The Warriors, on the other hand, have collapsed after a dream start which had them at the top of the West after 10 games, as they find themselves 7th after going 2-8 in their previous 10.
Dennis Schroder recently spoke to the media for the first time since the trade and broke down what exactly he’ll do to reverse that streak. It will come as music to the team’s ears.
Having just conceded 143 points to the Dallas Mavericks after losing 91-90 to the Houston Rockets, this Warriors team is getting a reputation for having an inconsistent identity.
Any that loses after scoring 133, or fails to win despite holding the opponent to 91 can’t be taken seriously as a championship contender which is exactly what they need to be.
Last year’s breakout prospect Brandin Podziemski has struggled to regain those heights and the Warriors have failed to build on their early season bench strength.
Schroder can provide a shot of quality to a roster that was looking increasingly unpredictable in its output if Steph Curry failed to ignite.
The German was asked what he would bring to the Warriors after the trade and he expertly broke down his potential role. It’s exactly what they have been crying out for.
Schroder said: “Step Curry is a guy who can score 40s, 50s, or 60s but for me, I always relied on my defense. I’m always trying to impact the game on both ends.
“You can’t control if the ball goes in, but I can always rely on my effort, my energy, and the leadership I bring. That’s the reason I’m excited to play with Draymond.
“We got one of the best closers in the world in Steph Curry so I’ll just be help for him, taking pressure off him, making sure everybody is on the right spot.”
The Curry-Green pick-and-roll has been a staple of the Warriors offense these past few years and it worked to perfection most times since the roster had plenty of shooting.
Now, despite Buddy Hield’s heroics for the Warriors, the teams recognize that he’s a more streaky shooter and Andrew Wiggins is the same.
Curry gets doubled up all the time and Green’s lack of shooting clogs up the court, making it difficult for him to run plays too as the defense often collapses on him.
With Schroder’s addition, the Warriors can go adventurous and run a 1-2 pick-and-roll which is a “pick your poison” scenario for opposition defenses.
Curry is an underrated screen-setter and Schroder combines nifty ball-handling with a reliable shooting threat. Even Green can contribute in a split action with Schroder and Curry playing off the ball, creating more space for their teammates.
Therefore, not only will Schroder help Curry on the ball, but his presence can open up space for the whole team. Kevon Looney’s extended minutes will be back on the menu and Podziemski can work better in a role similar to last year.
He’s the perfect addition to this roster and as he gets more familiar with Kerr’s offense, expect the Warriors to climb up the standings.
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