The Warriors didn’t travel to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup, but the franchise has indicated it may be going all-in this season.
Golden State has acquired Dennis Schröder from Brooklyn in exchange for De’Anthony Melton. It’s a splashy move for the Warriors, who have been subject to numerous trade rumors this season.
By adding Schröder, the Warriors are doubling down on their goal to be a contender in the Western Conference as long as Stephen Curry is on the roster. Golden State got off to a hot 12-3 start to the season but has since come back down to earth, pulling off the deal after falling to 14-10 on the year.
Brooklyn, on the other hand, has been a pleasant surprise with its competitiveness to start the season. The Nets have parted ways with one of their best players in exchange for Melton, who is out for the season following ACL surgery.
Here’s what to make of the move for the two franchises with very different goals for the season.
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Dennis Schroder trade grades
Warriors receive:
- Dennis Schröder
- Second-round pick
Nets receive:
- De’Anthony Melton
- Reece Beekman
- Three second-round picks
Warriors grade: B+
This is a very good deal for Golden State but it just misses the mark of being “great” and earning more than a B+.
Schröder is averaging 18.4 points, 6.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds through 23 games this season and immediately adds the scoring punch that the Warriors have desperately sought. Golden State also made it happen with a one-for-one swap involving Melton, who played in just six games before an ACL injury ended his season.
Where the “wait and see” approach needs to be taken with this trade involves the version of Schröder the Warriors receive.
Since leaving the Lakers after his first stint with the franchise in the 2020-21 season, Schröder was viewed as a missing-piece type addition for the Celtics in 2021 and for a second stint with the Lakers one year later. Things didn’t fully pan out either time as inconsistency plagued him.
Admirable as Schröder’s resurgence has been in Brooklyn, he’s thrived in a much different situation than he will enter in Golden State. The Warriors may not need Schröder to replicate the production he put forth with the Nets this season, but they will need to count on consistent production from his reserve role.
Schröder is a 31-year-old, 12-year NBA veteran who has played on several winning teams throughout his career. What will be expected of him is clear, but it is unclear if those expectations are too lofty.
MORE: Why Steve Kerr ripped officials after Golden State’s NBA Cup loss to Houston
Nets grade: B
Brooklyn is shifting its focus to the future, and understandably so.
After going 32-50 in 2023-24, the Nets entered the 2024-25 season with a new head coach and one of the league’s lowest expected win totals. Brooklyn hasn’t been above .500 all season and is 10-15 through 25 games, but the team has performed much better than preseason projections.
The Nets have now traded one of their top players for a player who will not suit up this season. In doing so, they’ll free up more opportunities for the younger guards on their roster. They might not be done, either.
Brooklyn is probably not done dealing this season and the franchise is stockpiling draft capital to make things happen in the coming years. It’s hard to fault a move that allows a team to hit the reset button, but constraints kept Brooklyn from acquiring too much in return. Beekman is a solid sweetener.
This isn’t an “incomplete” grade but rather a “to be continued” one, as the Nets will likely continue the process of shifting the focus forward with moves they make before the trade deadline.
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