Dennis Schröder is playing some of the best ball of his career and he isn’t oblivious to the fact that he could be playing elsewhere at some point this season, the Nets guard told Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
“I’ve been in the league 12 years, and people have talked about my name in trade talks for 12 years. [And] I’ve been traded twice,” Schröder said. “… So [gossip] is going to happen. They use it as an event where they can promote who is on the block. I don’t really care.
“But I’ve bought into this system right now because they pay my checks, and I’m doing my job every single day, and I’m always professional about it, always going to make the most out of it. Get one percent better every single day. And whatever happens, happens. I understand it’s a business, but no worries here.”
Schröder, who is averaging 19.5 points and 6.2 assists per game, has an expiring $13MM contract.
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Knicks depleted their depth with some blockbuster moves this offseason and coach Tom Thibodeau has shown a reluctance to trust his reserves, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. In their last three losses, Thibodeau basically ran a six-man rotation in the second half with Miles McBride as the lone reserve receiving meaningful playing time.
- The Cavaliers will look to stay unbeaten on Wednesday at Philadelphia but they could go without their starting center. Jarrett Allen is listed as questionable due to a lower left leg strain, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets. Allen appeared a little hobbled on Monday, according to Fedor, when he was limited to nine points, five rebounds and one block in 26 minutes against Chicago.
- It’s unlikely that Doc Rivers is on the hot seat after the Bucks’ 2-8 start, considering Rivers received a four-year, $40MM contract after Adrian Griffin was fired in midseason, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick. General manager Jon Horst is under pressure after a few disappointing seasons, and league sources told Amick that there’s skepticism he’d be given the leeway to make another coaching change this soon.
With Mitch out. Achiuwa out. Shamet out. This is why our bench is depleted. Not cause of trades.
The thing hurting Knicks most. Is their team D and rebounding. Not closing gms out, no rim protection. I expect things to get better as soon as Achiuwa comes back. He addresses the rebounding and team D right away.
Knicks looked better today. Held Sixers to under 100. Been awhile……….
Wasn’t a fan of getting PG. Well he looks good and will get better. Sixers just have to get healthy. No need to rush this or panic. Even if they are a low seed. They will be dangerous in the playoffs.
Both are true. The frontcourt depth is depleted by injuries, but the backcourt and wing depth is depleted by trades. Bogdanovic, DDV, KBD, and Milton all were sent out in the Towns/Bridges trades. Only Bogey and Donte were super helpful (and Bogey is injured, so that also contributes there), but Bates-Diop and Milton were both reasonably experienced reserves who can contribute when needed. The Knicks could use either one of them right now; Bates-Diop for size, defense, rebounding, Milton as a shooter/cutter off the bench.
The Knicks are especially missing the extra shooting draw that DDV provides; teams are setting up defenses above the break and daring the Knicks to beat them (they’re shooting well, 38.5%, but not enough, 23rd in 3pA and 20th in 3pAR). The Knicks are doing a good job of that so far, but it’s creating more traffic than they really need to accept. And the defense isn’t good so far. Can’t hide Towns on defense, especially when you already have to hide Brunson, and they have to defend to win. Only one game have they won without holding their opponents under 100 (116-107 vs Heat).
Agreed that Achiuwa really shores up the defensive end and adds to the rebounding. Good cutter too. No need to panic, but the concerns can’t be brushed off either. I’m not really worried about the Knicks; they’ll get it working.
Diop, Milton never played. Donte is replaced by a star in Bridges. McBride, Mitch, Achiuwa is the 8 man rotation Thibs loves. We haven’t had that.
All we have is wings and guards lol. We need size for D and rebounding.
I know you get this game. I was a big McBride guy at the draft. Wanted him first (Grimes). We didn’t Brunson then. I still love McNride and strongly feel ha can start for another team. But dude I’m telling you. Kolek is a better fit for this team. Cause of his ast and gm management. He’s more a true a PG. I don’t say that lightly, love Duece.
Hukporti to me is a big key. Cause Mitch won’t play till after January. Personally I think Knicks will move him. IMO when Achiuwa comes back we will be much better. And of course get healthy.
Achiuwa, McBride, Payne, Shamet, Ryan, Sims, Hukporti ……. makes a deep bench. Add Mitch to that. Knicks have a good stretch coming. Things are about to get better.
Dadiet, McCullar,Warren are also guys who can also help soon. Warren is tearing up G-league. He gets 100% healthy there. He definitely will be called up. Out depth is fine. It’s the health that is messing with Knicks. Only Brunson is a starter who started last yr. This is a new group. Time is on our side ……. yes it is.
Knicks Al, McBride is very nice. Thought Og looked strong also. KAT impressed with his aggression. Thought Joel looked leaner, but game is rusty and agree on PG
OG is capable of that. He just doesn’t look for it. Bridges in only player I want to see get more aggressive. Negative press is already starting with him. All the geniuses in NY will soon jump on the bandwagon. I don’t want that for him. Love Thibs
….. But Achiuwa should be starting. Hart should be 6th man. Strongly believe this.
True, there was no depletion by the off-season trades (net anyway) in the core rotation. Bridges was a +1 (Boogie wasn’t relevant), and the KAT trade a -1 (2 for 1). But there was another -1 caused by the loss of free agent I-Hart. It took them from their ideal of 9 to 8, and when the injuries to Mitch and Achuiwa are added to that, it took them down to 6. All of those losses are to bigs, and has resulted in starting 4 perimeter guys vs 3, spreading out the effect. The trades also cost the NYK about 12 mm in 2nd apron space (and of course picks), which would have been helpful in replacing that loss, or at least in filling out the standard roster overall (to more than 12 to start the year). The I-Hart loss was unavoidable, and the trades in part a response to it, but certainly the trades alone didn’t deplete the rotation.
Absolutely, defense and rebounding are the problem, and its pretty clearly about personnel (not effort or scheme). We’re small the entire game, and playing with 1 big who is neither a great defender or a natural fit in our defensive scheme. Not suprising, there are only about 10-15 guys in the league that could anchor the defense we’ve played the past few years. Sad thing is that for the past 2 years we had 2 of them, and now with elite perimeter defenders to complement that, we have nothing there. But its not on KAT or the KAT trade. KAT is doing his part on the boards, and giving great effort (misguided though it may be) on defense. Hopefully, Achiuwa will hit the ground running when he gets back, playing along side KAT. Starting would be great. But I still think, longer term with a view toward the playoffs, that Mitch is the key guy in terms of re-establishing the team’s identity of the past two seasons. I don’t see any path to replacing him without doing damage to another part of a slimmed down core rotation.
KAT looks awesome. He’s not a gritty defender but he’s trying.
Wonder if Thibs go BIG BIG with either Mitch or Precious back at 5 and KAT at 4 when all healthy.
Flowers for Cam Payne. He’s been hustling hard.
I think Precious at the 4 and KAT at the 5 and Robinson at the 5 with KAT at the 4 are both viable lineups. KAT had a good season back when the Wolves had Taj Gibson (17-18 Wolves were +7.9 per 100 with both of them in a given lineup, and they were still positive even with a much worse team the next year), and Precious is a similar player. And Robinson/KAT looks similar to what he had last year in Minny with Gobert.
Yep, playing hard on both ends. But the 5 in the NYK system needs to prevent shots in the paint, not challenge them late. Too many fouls, really, for the results there. But effort is always appreciated, and usually carries the day.
The answer to the question posited in your 2nd paragraph could well determine the team’s identity through the back half of the season and the playoffs.
Do you think part of the problem is that KAT is being asked to do too much as the 5? We’ve seen he can be a good rim protector *or* a good help defender as a roamer or in drop, but he tends to struggle to manage both at once in terms of reaction time and making the right read. Was one of his biggest knocks in Minny.
If someone is asking him, other than himself, then YES. I would hope the expectations (of coaches, teammates, fans) are not that he’ll be all he is currently on the offensive end, and then anchor the defense like Mitch/I-Hart did.
That is NOT happening over 35-40 minutes. Although I might opt out of trying even if it were possible. KAT has the length and upper body coordination you look for in a rim protector. Decent strength for a 7 footer too. But he is slow footed. It’s about his only truly subpar physical athletic attribute, but one that can be (and has been) exposed when he’s trying to protect the paint (which is a lot of what “rim protection” is becoming). There are multiple costs to over-exposing him there, including him picking up fouls, which will obviously impact him on the other end as well.
KAT wouldn’t need to improve very much on defense from here for me to be comfortable with him as the sole big for the last 5 minutes of the game (when the mentaility is different, and other defensive adjustments are more feasible). The current starting 5 will almost certainly be, and should be, the most common finishing 5 in any event.
Towns was a great rebounder before Rudy. Was never a great D big. Then they got Rudy. He needs to reprogram as defensive Big. Achiuwa helps that process. He’s rebounding great again. But absolutely NO rim protection. That’s an issue. An issue Achiuwa starting addresses. Time helps all this. To me Bridges is also a big issue. He is not maximizing his talents. And right now Brunson is trying to do too much.
I agree with most. Towns has not rebounded or rim protected playing with Rudy. He needs to wake and get away from that. Rim protection is about positioning. Needs programming for this from Thibs. Also this a new team basically. They need time to jell. Injuries are not helping this. I 100% believe Achiuwa starting. Adresses most of our concerns. Hart can still avg more mins. Precious helps Towns, our D, rebounding, and Bridges. Considering the investment we have made in 2WayBridges. Knicks should be looking out for him.
6 player rotation…
Thibs never learns… He is in the East… He can take a few more Ls and still be top 4…
I think the hidden result of the new cap rules is becoming clearer. Depth is going to have to come from player development and coaching – and honestly Thibs is good at that, he just has a very high standard for whom he believes is deserving. I am a fan, always liked him in Chicago and felt he got a raw deal in MN.
I really wonder if the time lost to injury in todays NBA is more a factor of franchises protecting a much greater player investment than in say, the 90s, or players having inferior conditioning regimens and discipline. How is it that stars played 82 games, 35+ minutes not that long ago, but now teams have trouble starting a core unit throughout the season?
Thibs gets a bad rap in this regard, he has developed players who deserve to crack the rotation (Butler is the prime example, but there are many others).
He does, but a six man rotation is untenable. Yes, he’ll play a few other guys for about eight minutes or so, but that’s not the same thing. Thibs is a good coach, no question, but he is stuck in his ways.
Thibs’ biggest problem is that he doesn’t make adjustments with the bench in a timely fashion. He does it in broad strokes, which is positive, but on a minute-to-minute basis, he resists trying guys who could be helpful in favor of running the same plays. Sunday’s 4Q against the Pacers is a prime example. McBride, Bridges, and Anunoby kept getting subbed for each other instead of trying literally anything else to try and increase the spacing, and it bit them in the last 4:55 when both Bridges and McBride could not hit their shots, like the rest of the game. Towns and Brunson both had to try and create by themselves instead of having the room to run a concerted play.
Yes…. you are going to sit your 40mn player until he’s healthy. In 1990’s a whole team got paid less than 50mn!
Ownership wanted Glen Rivers, Horst wanted Kenny Atkinson.
Doc is the luckiest unlucky coach of all time
And the richest