The Hawks are rebuilding around John Collins, Taurean Prince, three first-round picks in the upcoming draft (the fourth slot in the lottery, No. 19 and No. 30), all their own future first-rounders and a top-10-protected first-rounder from the Cavaliers in 2019 or 2020.
Oh, and Dennis Schroder, I guess.
Though just 24 and Atlanta’s starting point guard, Schroder has become mostly an afterthought. Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk inherited Schroder has not given much indication he’s particularly attached.
The feeling is apparently mutual.
David Hein of FIBA.basketball translated a press conference Schroder conducted in German in Germany:
Speaking in Germany at a German Basketball Federation DBB press conference, Dennis Schröder about the current situation with the Atlanta Hawks pic.twitter.com/n8w3J3fg9t
— David Hein (@heinnews) May 14, 2018
An elaboration from Dennis Schröder about the next few days and the up-coming talks with the @ATLHawks pic.twitter.com/kNAJhdnQ6J
— David Hein (@heinnews) May 14, 2018
Dennis Schröder told a press conference in Germany that @Pacers (he has a good relationship with Victor Oladipo) and @Bucks would be teams he could imagine being traded to: pic.twitter.com/9d9QxBQ8Pj
— David Hein (@heinnews) May 14, 2018
Dennis Schröder said he wants to stay in Atlanta if it looks like things are going in the right direction. But he said he wants to compete while in his prime: pic.twitter.com/3SOokRq2LV
— David Hein (@heinnews) May 14, 2018
Schroder’s discontent is understandable, and he’s handling it reasonably. He just wants to talk to the Hawks about their direction. He didn’t say he’s demanding or even requesting a trade. Why should he want to spend his prime on a bad team? The Hawks were so lousy, they’d have to improve to reach second-to-last in the Eastern Conference. At 24-58, they were dead last.
But Schroder is a middling starting point guard at best. Though he has improved into a steadier player, he shot just 29% on 3-pointers last year. He’s due $46.5 million over the next three years. He also faces the prospect of felony batter charge.
Most teams have either a better starting point guard or a younger point guard to build around. A few could trade for Schroder, but it’s a narrow market.
He and the Hawks might just be stuck together.