Dennis Schroder agrees to four-year extension with Atlanta Hawks
By John Buhler
The Atlanta Hawks have agreed to a four-year contract extension with point guard Dennis Schroder worth $70 million the day before Atlanta’s home opener.
The Atlanta Hawks have opted to go with Dennis Schroder as their starting point guard in 2016-17 and the foreseeable future after agreeing to a four-year extension.
Schroder showed flashes the last two seasons he can be a starting point guard in the NBA but was going to hit restricted free agency this summer if Atlanta didn’t exercise a 2017-18 qualifying offer. The day before Atlanta’s home opener against the Washington Wizards, Schroder garnered a new contract from the Hawks, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Marc Stein.
ESPN sources tell @ZachLowe_NBA and I that Hawks guard Dennis Schroder has landed a four-year, $70 million extension today
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 26, 2016
Atlanta traded long-time starter Jeff Teague to his hometown Indiana Pacers in a three-team deal with the Utah Jazz shortly before the 2016 NBA Draft. Utah got former Pacers point guard George Hill. Atlanta used the No. 12 overall pick from Utah to select small forward Taurean Prince out of Baylor.
Atlanta used its No. 17 overall pick on the German point guard in the 2013 NBA Draft. While the Hawks could have been aggressive in 2017 NBA free agency to sign a top-tier point guard like Stephen Curry or Chris Paul, offering Schroder a multi-year deal takes the pressure of the point guard position in Atlanta for the foreseeable future.
The Hawks had to decide which point guard to keep between Teague and Schroder. Fourth-year head coach Mike Budenholzer and third-year general manager Wes Wilcox invested heavily in the 23-year-old point guard.
Though he’s never been a full-time starter before, Atlanta is clearly paying for what Schroder is going to do for them going forward. $70 million is a bit pricey, but Curry and Paul would have cost more. The Hawks wouldn’t have been able to land either superstar point guard in 2017 NBA free agency.
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Atlanta’s next big player to worry about is All-Star power forward Paul Millsap. Will Millsap walk after the four best seasons of his career in Atlanta or could the Hawks trade him this season?