The Los Angeles Lakers really dodged a bullet. They offered Dennis Schroder a 4-year, $84 million contract extension last season, he turned it down, and they eventually traded for Russell Westbrook.
Schroder believed that he could get more money and a bigger role in free agency. Instead, his market went ice cold and he had to settle for a one-year, $5 million deal to come off the Boston Celtics’ bench.
Needless to say, everybody has had something to say about Schroder’s failed decision to bet on himself, including the new president of the NBAPA CJ McCollum:
(Transcript via TalkBasket.net)
“He’s in a situation where he’s playing on a one-year deal. He’s got a lot to prove. Now, he’s probably angry. He’s probably a little frustrated at the situation, but also motivated.
I think one of the best things about sleights, or going through struggles, or potentially turning down money, similar to what John Collins did is that you come in motivated, and you also understand what’s at stake.
If he did turn down that money, and he’s playing on a contract worth about $5.9 million, then he knows there’s a lot at stake for this season. I think his approach, his mindset and his mentality is gonna be different going into this year,” said McCollum on his podcast.
Schroder has now been the butt of the joke online. From Shaquille O’Neal to Gilbert Arenas, to countless memes and videos; no one can’t understand why or how he turned down such a huge contract extension.
At least, he’s still pretty young and will have plenty of opportunities to showcase his talents with the Celtics, even though it’s pretty unlikely that he’ll ever get another chance to earn such a big payday.
