The Sacramento Kings made it official on Tuesday morning: Dennis Schroder agreed to a three-year, $45 million deal with the Kings, joining his tenth team in 13 seasons and bringing the Kings some backcourt assistance.
On one hand, this was a strategic move that addresses the guard problem Sacramento has. But on the other hand, it doubles down on a process that might not help them at all.
Adding Schroder isn't nearly enough for Sacramento
Free agency just started, and the Kings could definitely make more moves. They need to, because Schroder alone will not cut it. He fits the model of many other players in the lineup: strong offensive talents who just don't have what it takes when it comes to defense.
Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk. All of these players fit the archetype of someone who can score but not block, defend, and hound their opponents up and down the court. And even the most basic basketball fan knows that a team cannot win unless it masters both offense and defense. Schroder's 13.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 2024-25 are promising and could help the Kings, but not enough.
This was always going to be a risk for Sacramento because they were putting such a heavy focus on getting a guard. It's tough to find guards who are two-way players capable of offense and defense, and Schroder certainly isn't one of them.
It wouldn't be as big a problem if the rest of the roster could pick up the slack and defend, but they also have their own issues. So, this move just continues the cycle and could present some serious problems when it comes to getting stops and transition plays.
Kings fans aren't panicking, but mostly because they aren't surprised. They didn't have high hopes for free agency, especially with so few options for guards. Plus, there is still a chance Sacramento takes care of this defensive problem. It might not be a big chance, but it's a chance.
Shooting well is an important part of any team, and the Kings could create some fireworks, but other teams will be able to push past them with ease unless the Kings stop relying on offensive stars who can't hold it down on defense.
Many were nervous about how the Kings would handle this summer, thinking they wouldn't be aggressive and would instead focus on minor adjustments. Free agency has started, and this problem could be solved, but the clock is ticking, and Sacramento's decisions so far aren't helping.