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Dennis Schroder Talks Potential Trade Destinations?

By Jake Mitchell

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 23: Dennis Schroder #17 of the Atlanta Hawks dribbles the ball against the Indiana Pacers during the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on February 23, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 23: Dennis Schroder #17 of the Atlanta Hawks dribbles the ball against the Indiana Pacers during the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on February 23, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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This should have been a fairly predictable week of Atlanta Hawks Headlines. Friday night, the team announced the hiring of Lloyd Pierce as the franchise’s 29th head coach. Tuesday night, Atlanta will wait patiently as the NBA Draft Lottery plays out in Chicago. On Monday, though, Dennis Schroder decided to insert his name into the news.

At a press conference for the German Basketball Federation, Schroder talked about rebuilding, his future, and even potential trade destinations.

Atlanta drafted Schroder. He’s been a Hawk his entire career. For much of that, he has played meaningful, relevant basketball. He also has three years remaining on a deal that pays him north of $15 million per year.

For Dennis, however, it comes down to the immediate future of the franchise.

While it came out of nowhere, this is not necessarily a shocking sentiment to hear. Schroder is a 24-year-old player who is entering the prime of his career.

Conversely, Atlanta is in the middle of a rebuild. In just four years, the Hawks have gone from 60-game winners to expecting a top-five pick in Tuesday’s NBA Draft Lottery.

The most eyebrow-raising comments on Monday, however, came when Schroder began naming specific teams he wouldn’t mind being traded too.

It’s one thing for a player to be disgruntled and talk publicly about wanting out of town. It’s another for a player to go public with the list of teams he wouldn’t mind playing for instead.

Ultimately, this entire situation comes down the goals of each side. Dennis has a finite amount of years in his prime to play basketball. The Hawks have initiated a rebuild. A quick look around the NBA tells you that rebuilds don’t always happen quickly.

As Schroder mentioned, he and the team will meet this week. Should things go well, perhaps this is the last we hear of dissension between the two parties? The news cycle moves quickly enough for both sides to move on.

Next: Lloyd Pierce will Bring Needed Change

However, Dennis is a young, talented guard who could command a nice return on the trade market. If he isn’t satisfied with the team’s future plans, perhaps a move does get done.

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