CHICAGO - After spurning a multi-year $84 million contract extension with the L.A. Lakers, Dennis Schroder joined the Boston Celtics yesterday for a one-year deal worth $5.9 million.
The first instinct is to feel sorry for the 27-year old German. And then you resist the temptation to laugh and mock his naked greed.
I dove deep into this tale and emerged with nothing but profound respect for Schroder.
I mean, who among you here has the guts to turn down $84 million?
Tell you what, If SPIN.ph throws that kind of money in my direction, I'd happily run through walls on the way to the bank.
Not Dennis.
Already making $16 million in the final year of his previous deal when the Lakers tendered a new contract months ago, Schroder, who averaged 15.4 points and 5.8 assists per game during the 2020-21 regular season, thought the deal was light and wanted more.
Right or wrong, he stood his ground. And there is something to be said about that.
I asked a super agent what the thought process is when a player gets a giant, life-altering offer.
"I'll advise the player to take the contract. It's a huge security blanket considering the injury risk that permeates in the business," said my source who has over 20 PBA players in his stable.
But the agent ultimately leaves the final decision to his player.

Which brings us back to Schroder.
WHY TURN DOWN $84 MILLION?
Who knows, but what if this was never about the money?
Maybe Dennis just doesn't want to be a Laker anymore.
Maybe he's gotten tired of playing alongside LeBron James and the circus that trails the King and his court.
Maybe he rejects the fast-paced Hollywood lifestyle and wants to retreat to a quiet place, like Oklahoma and Atlanta, where he used to ball.
Feel free to express your sentiments on this issue but don't bother sparing any pity on Schroder.
Since turning pro in 2013, Schroder has earned slightly over $70 million in NBA salaries, per BasketballReference.com.
The kid's got money in the bank. He will be fine.
He will also be only 28 years young, his prime ahead of him, when he becomes a free agent next year.
The bridge that will take Dennis Schroder to the pot of max contract gold that eluded him in L.A. is a lot of damn good basketball in Boston.
He says he's ready to make a splash in Celtic green.
Hard not to believe a guy with the temerity to push back nearly a tenth of a billion US dollars in guaranteed cash.
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