Lakers lose key player from Western Conference run

Dennis Schroder Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Lakers lose key player from Western Conference Finals team

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Darryn Albert | Last updated 7/1/23

It isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency.

Lakers guard Dennis Schroder has decided to leave the team, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday. Schroder is signing a two-year, $26 million deal with the Toronto Raptors (the full non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception).

The Raptors needed a new starting point guard, as longtime starter Fred VanVleet just left for a team in the West. Schroder, one of the top available guards remaining, should adequately fill that need for them.

The 29-year-old was a crucial part of the Lakers rotation during their run to the Western Conference Finals this past season. He averaged 12.6 points and 4.5 assists per game, hitting momentum-swinging threes, drawing timely free throws and playing sneakily-good defense. Schroder also sank a clutch corner triple that helped the Lakers win their play-in tournament game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

LEBRON FINDS SCHRODER.
LAKERS TAKE THE LEAD.

1.4 seconds left on TNT! pic.twitter.com/i2NfANyC1w
— NBA (@NBA) April 12, 2023

Fortunately for the Lakers, the blow of Schroder’s departure is softened by the addition of another talented guard in free agency. On top of that, they just signed a pair of athletic wings in Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish.

Schroder, himself, gets a nice new check to recoup some of the money that he fumbled during his previous foray into free agency.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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