Spectacular changes: Schröder and Theis swap NBA clubs

Basketball

Boston (dpa) – In September, Dennis Schröder and Daniel Theis want to cause a sensation together with the German national team at the European Basketball Championships in Cologne and Berlin.

In the NBA, however, the two buddies were part of a spectacular deadline day, in which the player swap between the two superstars James Harden and Ben Simmons between the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers eclipsed everything else. From a German perspective, however, Theis’ return to the Boston Celtics caused a stir – especially because Schröder was traded to the Houston Rockets along with two other players.

A disappointing basketball year continues for Schröder. In the summer, the 28-year-old point guard had speculated on a high-value multi-year contract worth more than $100 million and therefore turned down an $84 million offer from the Los Angeles Lakers over four years. But Schröder gambled and ended up in Boston on a one-year deal for just $5.9 million.

Schröder with the Rockets without a chance of a playoff

After initial difficulties, Schröder got on better and better and played a not inconsiderable part in the Celtics’ upswing, who are now serious playoff contenders in the Eastern Conference again. The native of Braunschweig has averaged 14.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists so far this season.

But now Schröder is going to Houston to see the Rockets – the worst team in the Western Conference. He has no chance of making the playoffs there. He will hardly be able to look forward to more playing time in Houston either. In Boston so far this season he has been on the floor for an average of 29.2 minutes, with the Rockets it should be less. The only good thing for Schröder: his contract expires at the end of the season, then he can renegotiate again – this time maybe a little better than last summer.

For Theis, however, the move to Boston makes sense. The 29-year-old began his NBA career with the Celtics in 2017 and had his best spell in the NBA in the three years he was there. He was then sent to the Chicago Bulls last season and went from there to Houston in the summer, where he didn’t play a major role. He has an average of only 8.4 points and five rebounds. In the old environment, the former Bamberg player should now be on the up again.

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