When the Golden State Warriors acquired Dennis Schroder from the Brooklyn Nets just over two weeks ago, it was widely viewed as a low-risk trade for the franchise that was bound to improve an uninspiring offense.
There were some very real fit concerns upon Schroder's arrival, and in fairness there needs to be a much greater sample before we truly evaluate what he can bring to the Warriors. In saying that, the German's first seven games with the franchise couldn't have gone much worse.
The Warriors have a big Dennis Schroder problem
Schroder's first appearance in a Warrior uniform brought a 51-point defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies -- the biggest loss of any NBA team so far this season. Golden State have won just two of the six games since then, with Schroder yet to have a breakthrough performance for his new team.
He did have an important layup, clutch 3-pointer and some notable defensive plays in the fourth-quarter of Saturday's win over the Phoenix Suns, but that had come after a rough opening three periods.
Schroder averaged over 18 points and six assists in his 23 games for the Brooklyn Nets to start the season, yet has failed to record more than 12 points or five assists in any of his first seven games as a Warrior.
The veteran guard is averaging 9.1 points and 3.9 assists in 28 minutes per game with Golden State, having shot a paltry 29.7% from the floor and 20.6% from 3-point range. The biggest issue for the Warriors though is just how bad they've been with Schroder on the floor, with the 31-year-old recording just one positive plus-minus (+4 against the Lakers on Christmas) over his seven games.
Golden State is a -102 in Schroder's 196 minutes with the team -- that's easily the worst of any Warrior player since his arrival. He was supposed to be the new effective back court teammate for Stephen Curry, yet that duo is a -13.7 net rating in 99 minutes together.
As previously mentioned, Schroder deserves some more time to acclimatize to his new team and his new teammates. He himself has outlined the difficulty of fitting in with two future hall of famers -- Curry and Draymond Green -- and his desire to start feeling comfortable within the system.
While patience is important, the Warriors aren't in a position to wait. They're 10th in the Western Conference standings and quickly losing touch with the top six. They have to turn things around promptly, and getting Schroder going is an incredibly important element in making that happen.