When the Nets traded a disgruntled Spencer Dinwiddie for Dennis Schroder, they praised their incoming point guard’s grit and leadership.
Those are attributes he will be looking to display against Spurs on Saturday.
“It doesn’t matter what the situation is. We just want to win and have the mentality to accomplish it as a team,” Schroder said. “Even in bad situations, having a leader and just talking to your teammates.
“I always try to be honest with men and I want people to be the same with me. If they see something, something I could do better, I just do it.” out loud and start from there. That’s how I’ve been my whole career, it’s just for great intentions, just to win basketball, and that’s what I’m trying to bring to the table. ”
Schröder will be a better return than most expected, as Dinwiddie is a distressed asset whose value has fallen significantly and the Raptors are reportedly waiving him.
At 6-foot-1, Schröder is small and a middling shooter, but he averaged 13.7 points and 6.1 assists at last summer’s FIBA World Cup, leading Germany to an undefeated record and the gold medal with an MVP performance.
“I’m trying to get better every day. There’s a lot of talent in this locker room,” Schroder said. “I remember what happened with Mikal.” [Bridges] and cam [Johnson]They were on the Phoenix team and played against them in the first round of the playoffs. Really, really talented players.Ronnie [Walker IV], last year they advanced to the Western Conference Finals. He had a really big game for us.
“And everyone else in that locker room has a strong will to win. And I just give everything every day to win that day or win when we have a game. I think I want to do.”
Schroder, who signed a two-year, $26 million contract in July, averaged a career-high 19.4 points and 6.2 assists with Atlanta during the 2017-18 season.
Two seasons later, he averaged 18.9 points and four assists in Oklahoma City, finishing as the runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year.
The Nets will save about $5 million this season and are about $11 million below the tax threshold.
“It’s not easy having a family and having three kids and a wife. But at the end of the day, nothing really changed,” Schroeder said. “Obviously, I’m going to a new city, a new situation. But at the end of the day, we make a living playing basketball and I’m really grateful for that. And in the locker room, in the front office, in this organization. I can’t wait to get to know everyone and get to work.
“A big city. I’m from Braunschweig, Germany, which is a really small town of only a quarter of a million people, but at the end of the day, as I said, I’m a family person, always with my kids, my wife. , being with the people I love. Of course the traffic will hurt a little bit. But other than that, even though New York is always a big city, it’s always been fun when I’ve been here. The fans in Brooklyn have been great too.
“So I’m just excited. Take it one day at a time and try to get a win.”
