we let one asset walk (and i think the years potentially limiting trade value was part of it). this is a way not to lose everything. players are better than TEs.
I think the frustration with Schröder is more of an emotional one than a logical one, and his ego/locker room issues are being a little overstated. The playoffs clearly left a bad taste in everyone’s mouths, but the fact that he was recovering from Covid can’t be overlooked. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think that not getting the contract he was looking for will have humbled him, and that if we did bring him back on a short term deal, he’d know that he’d have to buy into his role to increase his value. In fact, to assume that he’d still be demanding a starting spot or causing locker room issues is more of a reach IMO. The reality is that he IS the best player available for us right now, and we do need a back-up PG. I’m starting to think the hold up on potential Mills/Melo deals is that we ARE negotiating with Schröder now. Trying to see if we can talk him down to a reasonable short-term deal. If so, we probably let Mills go to GSW and give some or all of the MLE to Melo.
I hope you're right. We are in a terrible spot right now. Outside of our Big 3, we have old minimum veterans and a 20 year old kid who may or may not be ready for the big lights yet. The only way I would consider forgiving Rob and Jeanie for not resigning Caruso is if we are trying to find a home for Schroder that lands us Buddy Hield and we didn't resign Caruso because of that large incoming salary.
Could you imagine the spacing issues with him in with Westbrook as a starter? It makes me cringe just thinking about it. He and Westbrook are totally redundant, with Westbrook being about 3 times as good as DS.
If we resign him, he is undoubtedly our 4th best player and should be playing starter minutes. And that's coming from someone who wouldn't trust him to take care of a hamster for fear he would mistake it for a mouse and feed it to a snake.
the weird thing is that caruso's salary should have no bearing on the rest of our moves...unless we were trying to bring in an s&t. which is silly.
.... and someone with some speed and defense to replace what we lost in KCP, Caruso and Kuzma on the perimeter.
This is based on the premise we even being him back. He'll be a sixth man. He's shined there in precious stops. But whatever. I'm open to anything
If we keep him, I think there is no chance that Schröder starts, and I think there would be no ambiguity about that either. All parties would be on the same page that Dennis would be the sixth man. If not Dennis, who do some of you propose we go after, especially now that Patty Mills is off the table?