Atlanta Hawks point guard Dennis Schröder assigned to D-League Bakersfield Jam

Nov 19, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Atlanta Hawks point guard Dennis Schroder (17) is pressured by Miami Heat point guard Norris Cole (30) during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

After an extended period of time where he’s been relegated to the bench in favor of Shelvin Mack, Hawks point guard Dennis Schröder has been officially assigned to the D-League.

Schröder will join Jared Cunningham in playing for the Bakersfield Jam, and while it’s a bit surprising, it’s certainly not a pure shock. In 11 games this year (7 DNP’s and a 1-game suspension), Dennis is only averaging 13.9 minutes per contest and has struggled to a 35.6% clip from the field and a PER of just 4.35.

As a 20-year-old rookie, there wasn’t a lot expected from Schröder this season (even as a mid-1st round pick), but the fact that he’s been surpassed in the rotation by Shelvin Mack is slightly troubling. However, there is still a great deal of talent in Dennis, and with some additional playing time at a high-level, he could come back more prepared to contribute, especially on the offensive end.

For the Hawks’ roster situation, this leaves Lou Williams and Shelvin Mack as the “backups” to Jeff Teague, and that is more than enough on a nightly basis. The only minor concern will be when Williams can’t play as a result of a back-to-back, but with a light portion of the schedule upcoming, that could have been factor as to the timing of the demotion.

Stay tuned for updates on Schröder as they come in.