The Sacramento Kings are not a winning franchise, and Dennis Schröder might be their only hope this season.
Dennis Schröder is the greatest German National Team player ever. He might not be the nation’s best NBA player, but Dirk Nowitzki remains the all-time best. Schröder’s World Cup championship, EuroBasket title, and fourth-place finish at the 2024 Olympics have cemented him as a legend.
After averaging 20.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in nine games played, Schröder won the EuroBasket MVP award. That trophy joins his World Cup MVP and Olympic All-Star Five nod.
As Schröder gets ready for his 13th NBA season and his first with the Sacramento Kings, he brings competitiveness to a team that has been a laughingstock in the Western Conference for 20 years.
It remains to be seen if it will be enough for a playoff push.
Schröder’s Success Must Carry Over This Season
Last season, the Kings finished 40-42, missing the playoffs for the 18th time in the last 19 seasons. It hasn’t been for lack of trying. Even after trading away De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento seems content to trot out a win-now roster.
DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, Malik Monk, and Schröder are all established veterans, and the Kings are still targeting Jonathan Kuminga, another win-now player, even with his limited experience.
DeRozan, LaVine, and Sabonis are all multi-time All-Stars, although only DeRozan has won a playoff series, and not since 2018.
In the NBA, Schröder has not had the same team success as he has on the international stage, although his résumé in FIBA events suggests that he can put a team on his back when needed.
In the NBA, he is not a big enough star to command the ball and scoring responsibilities as much as he does for Germany, although in Sacramento, he is expected to be the starting point guard.
He is a more efficient scorer in international play than in the NBA, although he can space the floor, rise to the moment, and distribute the ball with the best of them.
Heading into the season, the Kings will need him to be at his absolute best if they want to stand a chance. The Nuggets, Thunder, Rockets, Lakers, Clippers, Timberwolves, Mavericks, Warriors, and Spurs are all expected to have a better record than the Kings, suggesting that they will have to battle their way out of the play-in tournament. However, as proven in FIBA play, Schröder thrives in single-elimination formats, so the Kings won’t be a slouch if they can make it that far, especially once Doug Christie implements his own defensive schemes.
On paper, the Kings have a proven roster of veterans, although all of their “stars” are best suited as second options. LaVine, DeRozan, and even Schröder all have issues with scoring efficiency, although any one of them is capable of playing with a hot hand.
While Schröder has a Hall of Fame case at this point in his career, he doesn’t have the NBA clout of DeRozan and LaVine, or even Monk, so it will be up to his new teammates to put their egos aside and let him cook. He’s proven he can do it before, and his competitive fire should bring about a welcome change to a forgettable franchise.
With Schröder leading the way, the Kings can Light the Beam, although they need to play their cards right.
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