Stein: 'Not Yet Clear' If Lakers' Beverley Trade Rules Out Dennis Schroder Return

Dennis Schroder wanted a return to the Los Angeles Lakers, and this still could be possible, even after the team added veteran point guard Patrick Beverley.

"It is not yet clear if the Beverley acquisition completely rules out a Schroder return or if [Russell] Westbrook's potential exit could re-open the door," NBA insider Marc Stein reported.

Schroder suggested to LeBron James on Instagram that they "run it back" after the two played together in 2020-21.

The challenge could be finding a role for the guard with both Russell Westbrook and Beverley in the rotation. However, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported the addition of Beverley makes it "more likely that Westbrook will be off the active roster by the start of training camp."

Stein previously reported there was a "legit consideration" for the Lakers to add Schroder.

Schroder played well during his lone season in Los Angeles, averaging 15.4 points, 5.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis struggling with injuries that year, Schroder led the team in total minutes played.

The Lakers also liked what they saw from the point guard, reportedly offering a four-year, $84 million extension that was turned down. Schroder ended up hitting free agency, where he landed just a one-year, $5.9 million deal with the Boston Celtics.

The 28-year-old was traded to the Houston Rockets midway through last season, finishing the year with averages of 13.5 points and 4.6 assists in 64 games across the two stops.

Schroder, who has experience both as a starter and coming off the bench in his career, could be a valuable addition for the Lakers to add some much-needed scoring depth behind James and Davis.

Beverley is known for his defensive ability, but he averaged just 9.2 points per game last year and hasn't averaged double digits since 2017-18.

If the team does move on from Westbrook, the other two veteran guards could complement each other well in the backcourt.