The newest Warrior, Dennis Schröder, has impressed Steve Kerr for years, both in NBA and international play. Now, for the price of only an injured De'Anthony Melton, two-way guard Reece Beekman, and three second-round picks, the Warriors have added a player whose offensive and defensive abilities will complement their existing structure.
However, immediately following the trade, the exact manner in which he'll fit into their rotation was in question. After Melton's season-ending injury, Lindy Waters III, Buddy Hield and Brandin Podziemski have gotten opportunities to start in his place, all of whom have struggled.
Hield, primarily a threat from three-point range, started out the season cold but has since brought his numbers closer to his mean, posting a .424 three-point percentage through his first 25 games. Podziemski, on the other hand, has continued to struggle in his second year in the NBA, and his numbers are down drastically across the board. In addition, neither player has performed exceptionally well from a defensive standpoint.
While Schröder will certainly shore up the Warriors' backcourt depth, will he play as big a role in their offense as he did with the Brooklyn Nets?
Kerr's comments suggests Schröder will start
In the days since Schröder's acquisition, head coach Steve Kerr has made multiple comments regarding his ability to fit with the team. The first of these, regarding his usage in pick-and-rolls, signals a significant change in the way the Warriors have run their offense so far this season.
Steve Kerr said he will up the pick-and-roll volume with Dennis Schröder around: “I don’t care what (we) run, I just want to run something that’s efficient. We’ll adapt very easily to Dennis.” https://t.co/y7h7srPa2h
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 16, 2024
Kerr's desire to utilize Schröder in an increased pick-and-roll game stems from a pair of abilities that partially define Schröder's game: agility and off-ball movement.
The Warriors currently utilize the pick-and-roll at the fourth-lowest rate in the league, and, when they do use it, are the fifth-least efficient team at scoring on the action. Schröder's induction to the starting lineup, namely at the shooting guard position, will help to introduce an entirely new aspect of the Warrior offense.
An increased pick-and-roll game will allow more options and space to Stephen Curry and the rest of the offense by alleviating some of the defensive pressure which teams have allocated toward the Warriors' star point guard.
It is for this reason, in part, that Kerr has also described Schröder as a "perfect fit" with Curry.
Here is Steve Kerr on the Dennis Schröder addition. No official decisions yet but: “Would seem to be a perfect fit to start next to Steph.”
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 15, 2024
Schröder will be in Bay Area tomorrow. Kerr talked to him on phone today: “I told Dennis today he kicked my ass on three continents.” pic.twitter.com/hmrrvwVRiS
While the starting lineups for Thursday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies has yet to be announced, it is safe to assume that Schröder will get his first crack at the shooting guard position. This would move Hield onto the bench, pairing him with Podziemski in the backcourt.
Knowing Kerr's affinity for tinkering with his rotation, however, Schröder could be used in many different roles this season. Schröder's versatility means we'll likely see him playing minutes with the bench as well in the backup point guard spot. If Podziemski is not the primary ball-handler, his offensive potential could become unlocked. If Hield continues to shoot at his current rate on three-pointers, he could get some starts in order to jump-start the offense at the beginning of games.
While Schröder is evidently in line for the starting job now, we will have to see how the season unfolds in order for his role to develop.