Dennis Schröder Discusses Veteran Role with Brooklyn Nets

The German point guard is set for his first full season in Brooklyn.

Sep 30, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder (17) speaks to the press during media day at Brooklyn Nets Media Day at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — After an eventful summer with Germany in the Olympics, Dennis Schröder is set to begin his first full season in a Brooklyn Nets uniform.

“We've got a lot of guys who, over their career, impacted winning in a good way,” he said at Nets media day on Monday. "That's what we're trying to do here this year, trying to start tomorrow, making the right play every single time."

The German point guard’s praise for Ben Simmons, at times unprompted, stood out. Schröder shared how he had reached out to Simmons when the latter was going “through rough times” with the Philadelphia 76ers, and that he was eager to share the floor with the Australian playmaker in Brooklyn. 

“All the noise and social media, what everybody was saying about him, I'm really looking forward for him to shut everybody up because he's really ready and he looks good and he's going to help us,” Schröder said about Simmons.

Last season, Schröder and Simmons were on the court together for only 16 minutes with a -6.46 net rating, per PBP Stats. That sample size is far too small to find any value in.

"Mini camp, we had a whole week where we played together and it looked great, so I'm really excited about him being healthy,” Schröder added.

The 31-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent after this season ends, prompting speculation on whether he could be a trade candidate for teams with championship aspirations. Schröder is a proven scorer around the league, and has been outstanding — albeit in a different context — when empowered into a star role with the German national team. He also addressed his short-term future.

"Winning keeps people getting paid, people staying longer in the league,” Schröder said. “It's just, ‘How can we get together and focus on the main goal?’" 

In 29 games for Brooklyn last season, Schröder averaged 14.6 points and six assists on 41.2% from three. That last mark, as well as his 5.1 attempts from deep per game, would be a career-high. 

However, it’s too early to gauge any definitive conclusions from Schröder’s first games as a Net, especially after the arrival of new head coach Jordi Fernández. On media day, he lauded Fernández’s work with the Canadian national team, as well as with the Sacramento Kings.

"What he [tries] to bring to the organization [is] great,” Schröder said. “I think everybody adapted to it quickly and everybody respects him as well."

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