3 reasons why the LA Lakers should re-sign Dennis Schroder and 3 reasons why they shouldn't

#1 LA Lakers should re-sign Dennis Schroder: Ability on both ends of the floor

There are few true point guards in the league and even fewer who can defend and score. Dennis Schroder brings a lot of energy to the LA Lakers defense and impressed both Frank Vogel and LeBron James on that side of the court this year. While he is not a great defender yet, his stats fail to show what he brings to the Lakers team. With him and Alex Caruso as back-ups, the Lakers have two very efficient and intelligent on-ball defenders.

FLAT OUT INCREDIBLE!! That’s TUFF DENNIS THE MENACE! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/nQUUkTYuXr

— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 5, 2021

The LA Lakers mostly brought in Dennis Schroder for his offensive contributions, however. In terms of their options from last year, he has been a big improvement and had the second-best offensive rating of his career at 107. With LeBron aging, Vogel may choose to give the German guard more shots per game. If he can return to the efficiency he showed the season prior to coming to the Lakers by taking 2.3 extra shots, he will definitely be worth keeping.

#1 LA Lakers shouldn't re-sign Dennis Schroder: Playoff performances

Dennis Schroder struggled in the LA Lakers first round playoff series

Despite his steady performances during the regular season, Dennis Schroder failed to show up in the playoffs. Bar the 2017-18 season, Schroder has played in the postseason every year, yet this was his least efficient per 36 minutes.

In the six-game series against the Phoenix Suns, the German guard averaged fewer points (14.3) and assists (2.8) than he did in the regular season (15.4 and 5.8). He also shot at just 40% from the field and 30% from downtown, both lower than his accuracy throughout the year. In a series where he matched up against a seasoned veteran in Chris Paul, the differences in reliability between the two were stark.

This brings into question whether the LA Lakers will want to commit to a new contract for Schroder. With LeBron James and AD, they will certainly go into next season as title favorites again, but it's whether they trust Schroder for the playoffs that really counts. On numerous occasions, Frank Vogel took him out of the game for Alex Caruso as he preferred his defensive qualities.