Can Dennis Schroder Shake off Rookie Year with Atlanta Hawks Next Season?

Let's be honest—Dennis Schroder was a huge disappointment in his rookie season for the Atlanta Hawks last year. The 20-year-old German point guard was turnover-prone, struggled with his jump shot and didn't adjust well to the athletic defenders of the NBA.

But it's way too early to give up on him. 

Schroder has shown flashes of star potential in a variety of settings, especially in competitions during the NBA offseason. Now, it's time for him to prove he truly belongs in the world's top basketball league.

Can we expect Schroder to break out in his sophomore campaign? Let's take a realistic look at what the youngster can do for the Hawks in 2014-15.

What Happened Last Season?

Schroder was sashimi-level raw on offense last season.

Probably his biggest issue was a penchant for forcing passes and drives. In just 13.1 minutes per game, Schroder gave the ball to the other team 1.2 times. When you're only dishing out 1.9 assists per contest, that number is unacceptable.

Adam McGee of Hoops Habit noted several occasions last season where Schroder would enter the game, immediately commit a turnover and then get pulled from the game by head coach Mike Budenholzer. McGee had this to say about Schroder's turnovers:

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Although it's a tough part of the learning process, Schroder needs to learn to treat possession with greater care. He has excellent court vision for finding teammates, and a plethora of creative passes in his locker, but with his turnover rate that's all irrelevant.

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Another problem for Schroder was outside shooting. 

The Hawks weren't expecting much from Schroder in that area, but he still underwhelmed. The speedster made just 29.4 percent of his jump shots and 38.3 percent of his total shots in 2013-14. When the season ended, he had five more shots attempted than points scored.

On the positive side, Schroder showed excellent potential on defense last season. He used his elite quickness to play full-court on-ball defense against opposing point guards, and he stayed in good position most of the time. His instincts on that end drew comparisons to Rajon Rondo, whom Schroder idolizes, according to the Hawks' official website.

John Amis/Associated Press/Associated Press

Ultimately, Schroder's warts on offense outweighed his strong defense, resulting in a rookie campaign that was somewhere between mediocre and terrible. 

How Did Schroder Do in Summer Competition?

Schroder looked like a seasoned point guard in both the Las Vegas Summer League and in international play with Germany this summer.

He averaged 15.7 points and 3.3 assists per game for the Hawks' Vegas Summer League team, including a 30-point explosion against the D-League Select team, according to NBA.com. You can find the highlights from that game below. Notice the trust he showed in his outside jumper that was lacking most of last season.

In August, Schroder helped his German national squad qualify for Eurobasket 2015 with several monster performances throughout the tournament. Per NBA.com, he averaged 15.3 points and 5.3 assists while shooting 57 percent from the field and 100 percent from the free-throw line in the six games.

It wasn't against legitimate NBA competition, but Schroder showed the ability to lead both his Summer League and German teams with a combination of scoring, playmaking and defense.

And that's most definitely something he can build off of heading into his second season.

Where Does Schroder Fit in the Hawks Rotation?

The point guard depth in Atlanta is some of the best in the league. Jeff Teague, Shelvin Mack and Schroder all figure to positively impact the Hawks in 2014-15.

Teague is the clear-cut starter, a potential All-Star who can score and pass equally well. Mack established himself as one of the league's better backup point guards last season, with his reliable jump shot and playmaking abilities. The Hawks even rewarded him with a three-year, $7.3 million contract this summer, according to Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski (h/t Jay Desai of Soaring Down South). 

USA TODAY Sports

So where does that leave Schroder?

At this point, he's likely the third-string floor general for the Hawks, with a chance to move past Mack. Barring a trade, that could mean about 15 minutes per game, or slightly more if Mack shifts over to the shooting guard position more this year.

As Schroder's rookie season showed us, it's hard to play limited minutes as a point guard and find your rhythm. But unfortunately, he seems to be headed to another season without substantial playing time—if he stays in Atlanta. 

Another possibility for the Hawks is trading him. Schroder may play so well that another NBA team decides it's worth it to give up some assets to groom him as its point guard of the future. In that case, the Hawks could benefit greatly by getting a future draft pick, a proven role player or a blue-chip prospect at a position other than point guard. 

What Will He Do In 2014-15?

Sorry, Hawks fans, but Atlanta is just too deep for Schroder to break out in the upcoming season.

He'll build off a strong summer to become a more reliable shooter and passer, but Teague and Mack will continue to steal the majority of the minutes at point guard. 

However, Schroder's ceiling is higher than Mack's, so he may move up the depth chart sooner rather than later. Or the Hawks may look to get some nice value for him on the trade market.

2014-15 Stat Predictions (assuming Schroder does not get traded):

14.8 minutes per game, 5.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.2 turnovers, 41 percent on field goals, 32 percent on three pointers, 85 percent from the free-throw line, 10.9 PER, 0.046 win shares per 48 minutes