The Los Angeles Lakers began to engage with incumbent owner Dennis Schroder in contract extension negotiations, and those discussions are expected to resume in mid-February, sources told ESPN.
Before the start of the season, Schroder declined an initial offer from the Lakers to extend his contract for another two years and $ 33.4 million, the sources said – an opening that represented the maximum allowable offer the Lakers could make to him before February 16.
Schroder, who entered the final year of a $ 15.5 million contract, is eligible to extend the deal for more money and more years – up to $ 83 million in four years – between February 16 until the start of the offseason of 2021.
Schroder, 27, had a strong debut for the Lakers against the LA Clippers on Tuesday, nearly reaching a triple-double (14 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds) and delivering a point guard dimension that the franchise hasn’t had in years. . The Lakers acquired Schroder in exchange for several teams with the Oklahoma City Thunder that cost Los Angeles a choice and custody of Danny Green in the first round in 2021.
The Lakers can offer a starting salary of $ 18.6 million starting in the 2021-22 season, which creates a much more realistic opportunity for the Lakers, Schroder and his agent, Alex Saratsis, to find a point of arrival in an extension of market value with the Lakers.
If there is no agreement before the off-season, the Lakers retain Schroder Bird’s rights to pass the salary cap on hiring him again. Losing Schroder at the free agency would leave the Lakers limited to replace him, because they would have only a $ 9.5 million mid-level exception available for use at the free agency.
Since Schroder had been traded off-season, he was eligible for just two more years and a 105% increase over his current salary of $ 15.5 million.
In seven NBA seasons with the Atlanta Hawks and Oklahoma City, Schroder made the playoffs six times – including one of his best overall campaigns with Thunder in 2019-20: 18.9 points average, four assists, four rebounds and almost 38.5% 3 point rate.