Dennis Schroder Trade Rumors: Rivals Expect Celtics to Be Open to Talks on Veteran

Timothy Rapp @@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVDecember 13, 2021

Boston Celtics guard Dennis Schroder (71) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Dennis Schroder might not be long for the Boston Celtics.

According to Shams Charania of The Stadium and Athletic, "Rival teams expect the Celtics to be open to talks around guard Schroder, who inked a one-year deal with Boston in the offseason but has had a strong season that likely prices him out of a potential re-signing."

Schroder, 28, is playing on a one-year, $5.8 million deal with the Celtics after reportedly turning down a four-year, $80 million extension with the Los Angeles Lakers last season.

And he's playing well, averaging 17.5 points and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 44.5 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from three.

But if Schroder receives major offers after the 2021-22 season, the Celtics likely won't be able to afford him. Here are some of the contracts they already have on the books for next year, per Spotrac:

Jayson Tatum: $30.3 millon
Jaylen Brown: $28.7 million
Al Horford: $26.5 million (only $14.5 million guaranteed)
Marcus Smart: $16.6 million
Josh Richardson: $12.1 million
Robert Williams III: $10.7 million

Those contracts, totaled with the others they are scheduled to have on the books, puts them at an active roster cap of $149.2 million, which would leave them with a hefty salary tax.

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Unless they were able to get themselves off of some of those contracts, there's no way they'd be able to afford Schroder at the $15-20 million per year contract he'll likely be chasing.

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
No surprise Boston is open to trading Dennis Schroder. This was always going to be a short-term relationship. Boston has no realistic path to re-signing him and he should be able to get more than the Tax MLE this summer. If you aren't a title contender, why not get something?

So dealing Schroder now would make sense from a team-building standpoint. From a competitive standpoint this season, it would obviously make less sense.

The question is whether the Celtics see themselves as a contender or not. A 13-14 start to the season would suggest they are still far off from being among the NBA's elite. While a playoff berth is absolutely within reach and should be expected of the talent Boston has amassed, it's pretty clear the Celtics aren't in the same league as teams like the Brooklyn Nets or Milwaukee Bucks.