[...] It does not help that the team's best shooting options outside of George are Abrines and Patterson, the two movable expiring mid-range salaries per the above who could otherwise theoretically be moved to provide short term financial relief. It further does not help that Grant is a limited shooter from the outside, and Schroeder is a sub-par one for a lead guard as well. It only makes it worse that both Noel and third string point guard Raymond Felton are also not plus shooters, and that while Terrence Ferguson projects to be a decent shooter in his future, he is not one yet. Luwawu-Cabarrot has a similar projection yet has not done enough in two years to show himself as being worthy of a spot in the rotation; the rotation, then, features one good shooter (George), two decent ones who do little else, don't do anything significant to get open and who would ideally be salary dumped (Abrines and Patterson), and a bunch of mediocre to bad shooters. [...]
Dennis Schroeder PG - 6’1, 172lbs - 24 years old - 5 years of experience
Considering that the youth movement and reload were begun by design or otherwise, with every veteran shred of the 60-win team now departed, the door was wide open for Schroeder, armed with his shiny new contract, to prove that he is worthy of being a foundational piece of that reload. But has he actually done that?
All year long, or at least until he was benched at the end, Schroeder was the number one offensive option on a team lacking a second and third, let alone a realistic rival for first. But in this role, Schroeder proved only that he wasn’t one. He can get to the rim, but often misses when contested; he can create looks from outside with speed and the handle, yet he shoots poorly from three. All the while, the defence was amongst the worst of any guard in the league, if not the outright worst.
That said, he is still a good player, and still a young one. The step-in two (a very strong 46.8% shooting between 16 and 22 feet) is a good start. Turn those into threes off the dribble, and the offensive efficiency that currently holds him back will skyrocket. Help should soon be on the way, at which time he should benefit from less of an enforced responsibility and more of an opportunistic one. And his general floor management, distribution and playmaking mentalities improved – a bit less urgency led to about a thousand fewer bad passes. Progress was made.
At the same time, though, flaws were exposed. Being an inefficient non-shooting defensive sieve is not the best reputation, and the contract makes for less forgiveness of them. Schroeder’s ability to get to the rim without needing a screen will always intrigue, yet he needs a good summer to be a foundational piece.
Player Plan: Three years and $46.5 million remaining, flat. Do not look to move, necessarily - the value should improve by this time next year as the deal shortens and the play improves, and of course, if it improves enough, there is not a need to move him at all.
Dennis Schroder PG, 6’1, 172lbs, 23 years old, 4 years of experience
With the keys for the first time, it was an up and down year for Schroder. Inefficient scoring punctuated by far too many mid-range pull-ups, but with improved finishing at the rim, some good defensive pressure full of energy and missed spots, all layered in inconsistency. At his core, he remains a slasher and defender, who needs to keep improving his finishing ability and developing that which his slashing avails him (pull-ups, kick-outs, welcoming contact), but the potential is there even if the results only half are so far. Certainly, Schroder would benefit greatly from not having to share so big of a load of the offence in the near future.
Player Plan: Begins four year, $62 million extension next year, paying an even $15.5 mil per annum. Keep indefinitely.
Atlanta - Dennis Schroeder: In six games on assignment, Schroeder posted 17.0 points, 6.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game, shooting 48% on the floor. And for the most part, he looked better than those numbers. Still only 20, Schroeder inevitably made some mistakes, as evidence by the 3.7 turnovers a contest, but he also showed a great handle, good court vision, a mostly high IQ, the ability to split and break down a defense, and some shot making talent of his own. There is a lot to like.
[...] But despite this more conservative spending, the rookie scale, maximum salary and minimum salary amounts continue to increase year-by-year, as do the salary cap itself and the value of the mid-level and bi-annual exceptions. Players still worthy of the max still get it -- there just happened to not be too many candidates this season -- and countless others still get the minimum. The rookie scale is still mostly an automatic 120 percent affair, with only Dennis Schroeder and Andre Roberson receiving less than that this season, and roughly the same proportion of available exception money is being used now as it was there.
