Lakers Rumors: Dennis Schroder Contract a 'Legit Consideration' Depending on Roster

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly considering signing free-agent point guard Dennis Schroder.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported a reunion with Schroder is a "legit consideration" as the Lakers attempt to form their roster for the 2022-23 season.

Schroder split time with the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets last season after leaving the Lakers in free agency. He famously turned down a four-year, $84 million extension offer from the Lakers during the 2020-21 season, a move that proved financially catastrophic. The Celtics signed him to a one-year, $5.9 million deal last offseason, and he's almost certainly going to make the veteran's minimum on his next deal.

Schroder, who said he never "fit in" with the Lakers, has also taken to social media asking for a reunion in an apparent mea culpa.

Signing Schroder would be a natural move if the Lakers ultimately wind up finding a suitor for Russell Westbrook, who has been shopped to no avail throughout the offseason. The Lakers lost their pie-in-the-sky dream of trading for Kyrie Irving on Tuesday, as the Brooklyn Nets announced Kevin Durant had rescinded his trade request and will move forward with the team.

It was long thought that the Nets would wait until the Durant situation sorted itself out before making a move on Irving, who is KD's chosen running mate in Brooklyn.

The best possible fit now appears to be a trade with the Indiana Pacers that would send guard Buddy Hield and center Myles Turner to Los Angeles in exchange for Westbrook and future draft picks. That deal appeared dead in the water over the Lakers' refusal to trade two future picks with Westbrook, but it's possible—if not likely—they will revisit the talks now that the Irving deal is gone.

Schroder would then fit in as a Westbrook replacement and potentially be able to rehabilitate his image before hitting free agency again in 2023.