Following his excellent play for Germany at the 2022 EuroBasket, <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/i-made-the-playoffs-last-year-they-didnt-patrick-beverley-pokes-fun-at-new-teammates-lebron-james-and-anthony-davis-2706-20220907-SPD-2706.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dennis Schroder</a> returns to the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/bill-russells-no-6-jersey-retired-by-nba-the-last-players-to-wear-no-6-for-each-team-2510-20220812-SPD-2510.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Lakers</a>. After the playmaker departed the Lakers in 2021, everything went downhill for Schroder in the NBA. 



A few months before the 2022 NBA Finals between the Celtics and the Warriors, the guard signed with Boston but was moved to Houston midway through the season. However, Schroder’s performance for Germany in the EuroBasket has garnered him a lot of attention. 



The 29-year-old’s side advanced to the semi-finals because of his play, on average, of 21.6 points and 7.3 assists per game. When compared to the other four players who made it to the championship round, his point average was far and by the best.



<h2>Schroder opted for Lakers over Raptors and Suns</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">According to NBA source Shams Charania, who spoke with The Rally, Schroder chose the Lakers over the Toronto Raptors and the Phoenix Suns: “Dennis Schroder was deciding between a few teams, the Lakers, the Raptors as well as the Phoenix Suns, I’m told. But he decided to sign with the Lakers on a one-year, $2.6 million deal. A couple years ago, he played for the Lakers, he turned down a major extension. “But now he returns and he brings competitiveness, more depth in their backcourt — and this is a guy that played at a very high level just now for Germany in EuroBasket, led them to the semifinals. And this is a guy that’s going to come into camp. He’s been to the playoffs in seven of his nine NBA seasons. So this is a guy that’s battle-tested. The last time the Lakers made the playoffs in 2021, Dennis Schroder was their starting point guard.”</blockquote>



After signing with the Lakers, Schroder stated he was motivated to “put [explicit] right” and that it was a “honor” to represent Los Angeles in the NBA. Guard felt misunderstood and that “nobody truly knew the tale” about the strange circumstances surrounding his resignation from the Purple and Gold in 2021. The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly made an extension offer to Schroder worth up to $84 million for the 2020-21 season, but he turned it down.

Dennis Schroder returns to Lakers after rejecting offers from Raptors and Suns - thesportsdrops NEWS

Dennis Schroder returns to Lakers after rejecting offers from Raptors and Suns

miniaturas

It is not in <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/i-thought-for-sure-i-was-going-back-home-donovan-mitchell-on-his-failed-knicks-move-2756-20220914-SPD-2756.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Damian Lillard</a>‘s plans to leave the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-how-patrick-beverley-trade-could-impact-future-of-russell-westbrook-at-lakers-2618-20220827-SPD-2618.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Portland Trail Blazers</a>, where he has played his entire professional basketball career. Lillard recently said on the Dave Pasch Podcast that he has no intentions to leave Portland anytime soon.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">To a question about whether or not he plans to play all his career with the Blazers, Lillard said, “I do. I do. I’ve had my share of people saying, ‘Man, you got to get out of there. You’ve got to do this, you’ve got to do that.’ But I’m the type of person that I’m never going to be marching to the beat of nobody else’s drum. I’m going to always do what I feel like is in my best interest and that I really feel in my heart.</blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“I want to win. I want to win in Portland. It would mean something to me to do it here. … This is me being loyal to who I am, and how I feel and what I want to see happen. I would love to finish my career here. That’s my plan, and that’s that.”</blockquote>



<h2>Damian Lillard plans to remain with Trail Blazers for life</h2>



Lillard was picked by the Trail Blazers in the sixth round of the 2012 NBA Draft. Only two other current players have been with the club that selected them longer than Lillard has now: Warriors guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Lillard places a high value on loyalty, and he believes that remaining with the Blazers and the Portland Trail Blazers organization is a way for him to honor both himself and the team.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“I feel like we’ll have a chance to win. feel like that moment is going to come. I feel like that opportunity is going to come, and that’s that. As long as I feel that our organization is putting their best foot forward and we’re on the same page about doing everything that we can do to win, then I’m willing to go out swinging.”</blockquote>

Damian Lillard committed to Trail Blazers for rest of his career - thesportsdrops NEWS

Damian Lillard committed to Trail Blazers for rest of his career

On Wednesday, <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/knicks-believed-jazz-were-trying-to-rip-someone-off-for-donovan-mitchell-charles-barkley-2728-20220911-SPD-2728.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donovan Mitchell</a> arrived in Cleveland for his new season with the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/jazz-send-donovan-mitchell-to-cavaliers-in-complex-trade-for-collin-sexton-2658-20220901-SPD-2658.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cavaliers</a>, and plenty of fans waited at Burke Lakefront Airport to see him. Many of his teammates and scores of supporters welcomed him when he landed in Cleveland.



Following the historic transaction that brought Mitchell to the squad, the club finally unveiled him to the public on Wednesday afternoon. At the start of September, Cleveland officially finalized the contract with the 26-year-old.



Including unprotected first-round selections in 2025, 2027, and 2029, Cleveland gave guard Collin Sexton, forward Lauri Markkanen, and rookie guard Ochai Agbaji to Utah. Moreover, in 2026 and 2028, the clubs will exchange their picks in the first round of the draft.



<h2>Donovan Mitchell believed he would be traded to Knicks</h2>



In one response, Mitchell said that he was uncertain of his future destination after a trade but anticipated playing for the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-knicks-back-on-track-on-donovan-mitchell-pursuit-but-theyre-not-alone-2539-20220817-SPD-2539.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York Knicks</a> instead of the Cavs.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“Honestly I had no idea. My agent called me on a Wednesday and said ‘You’re going to Cleveland.’ Like I said my reaction was what it was. All summer I didn’t really say much, I kind of just let you guys do what you do to be honest. I thought for sure I was going back home, not gonna lie about that. “But when I found out where I was headed, who I was playing with, the group, the team, the coaching staff. I couldn’t be more happier to be here, to be a part of this organization, to be a part of this group, to join these phenomenal guys and add to it. That for me is what I’m truly excited about.”</blockquote>

"I thought for sure I was going back home" - Donovan Mitchell on his failed Knicks move - thesportsdrops NEWS

"I thought for sure I was going back home" – Donovan Mitchell on his failed Knicks move

The <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/manu-ginobili-and-tim-hardaway-among-13-inductees-in-2022-basketball-hall-of-fame-2732-20220912-SPD-2732.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Heat</a> bounced back from a disappointing first-round exit in 2021 by making a deep run in the 2022 <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/no-kobe-bryant-draymond-green-of-warriors-reveals-his-all-time-starting-five-2522-20220814-SPD-2522.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a> playoffs. After securing the top seed in the East, Miami ended up being just one win away from the NBA Finals.



Though the defeat to the Celtics was certainly heartbreaking, the campaign was still too good for anyone to have any complaints. After all, the Heat laid a foundation on which to build.



Guard Gabe Vincent, for instance, proved to be an important contributor for a team with high aspirations. Miami is ready to run things back this <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-how-patrick-beverley-trade-could-impact-future-of-russell-westbrook-at-lakers-2618-20220827-SPD-2618.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">season</a>, which Vincent claims will see an ambitious Heat.



<h2>Gabe Vincent says it’s championship or bust for Heat in 2022-23</h2>



“I think we are in a very unique position,” Vincent said in an interview with Fastbreak on FanNation. “We brought a lot of guys back from this past season and I think our learning curve will be much less as a result. Already being comfortable and having the chemistry that we have with one another allows us to continue focusing on the bigger, championship-like goals that we have.



“We know what we are capable of and having that bad taste in our mouths from what happened this past postseason is just extra motivation. For us, our mentality this preseason is ‘championship or bust’ and we know that we have what it takes to get back to the NBA Finals.”

NBA News: Gabe Vincent reveals the Heat’s expectations for the 2022-23 season - thesportsdrops NEWS

NBA News: Gabe Vincent reveals the Heat’s expectations for the 2022-23 season

The induction ceremony for the class of 2022 into the Basketball Hall of Fame took place on Saturday evening in Springfield, Massachusetts. There are a handful of former players and coaches who have assembled distinguished careers in order to merit induction into the Hall of Fame.



These individuals have earned this distinction by being selected as one of the 13 people to be inducted. The evening began with an homage to the late Bill Russell, who had gone away earlier this year. The induction ceremony and the remarks that followed immediately after the tribute. 



One of the sport’s all-time greats, <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/steph-curry-singles-out-hornets-as-only-team-he-would-play-for-other-than-warriors-2672-20220904-SPD-2672.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bill Russell</a> led the Boston Celtics to 11 NBA titles and five Most Valuable Player honors during his playing career. In 1975, he was elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame both as a player and as a coach (2021). After learning of his passing, the NBA stated that all teams would honor him by retiring his number six jersey.



<h2>Manu Ginobili and Tim Hardaway earn their spot in Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022</h2>



<a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-how-patrick-beverley-trade-could-impact-future-of-russell-westbrook-at-lakers-2618-20220827-SPD-2618.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ginobili</a> spent his entire career with the San Antonio Spurs, where he and teammates Tim Duncan and Tony Parker won four championships over the course of their time there. Ginobili was a fan favorite all across the NBA due to his flare and originality, earning him two All-Star nods, two All-NBA nods, and a place in the annals of NBA history as one of the finest Sixth Men ever.



On the other hand, one of the most talented guards of the decade of the 1990s, <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/knicks-believed-jazz-were-trying-to-rip-someone-off-for-donovan-mitchell-charles-barkley-2728-20220911-SPD-2728.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hardaway</a> is the father of current Dallas Mavericks star Tim Hardaway Jr. During that decade, he was selected for participation in five All-Star Games as well as five All-NBA teams, including a spot on the First Team in 1997. 



In addition, he was a big part of Team USA’s success in the Olympics in Sydney, Australia, in the year 2000. Meanwhile, Swin Cash, Bob Huggins, Del Harris, Lindsay Whalen, Marianne Stanley, Theresa Shank Grentz, and George Karl make the remaining list of 11 who have been welcomed to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Manu Ginobili and Tim Hardaway among 13 inductees in 2022 Basketball Hall of Fame - thesportsdrops NEWS

Manu Ginobili and Tim Hardaway among 13 inductees in 2022 Basketball Hall of Fame

The <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/i-made-the-playoffs-last-year-they-didnt-patrick-beverley-pokes-fun-at-new-teammates-lebron-james-and-anthony-davis-2706-20220907-SPD-2706.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York Knicks</a> were considered the frontrunners to get Donovan Mitchell before he was signed to the roster of the Cleveland Cavaliers. For the duration of the summer, <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/jazz-send-donovan-mitchell-to-cavaliers-in-complex-trade-for-collin-sexton-2658-20220901-SPD-2658.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donovan Mitchell</a> was a player to watch.



The 6-foot-1 combo guard wanted to play for another club after spending the previous five years with the Utah Jazz. A number of clubs expressed interest in acquiring the three-time All-Star as soon as news of Don’s desire to leave Utah began circulating.



The New York Knicks may have been the frontrunners to sign the star player. Unexpectedly, Mitchell opted to leave the San Antonio Spurs and join the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team in the Eastern Conference.



<h2>The reasons Knicks passed on acquiring Donovan Mitchell, as revealed by Charles Barkley</h2>



On Friday, Charles Barkley, a former Knicks player and current NBA pundit for TNT, chimed in on the discussions, claiming to have “inside knowledge” from Knicks senior executive William Wesley, aka World Wide Wes. Barkley said that Wesley informed him that the Jazz were seeking far more compensation than was previously known.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“I’m gonna give you inside information. I actually had this conversation last night with World Wide Wes at dinner,” Barkley said. “I said, Wes, why didn’t y’all make the trade? He says, ‘Oh man. Don’t go by the media stuff. [The Jazz] wanted my wife, my kids.’“… He says, ‘We wanted the deal, obviously,’ but he said, ‘They wanted my wife, they wanted my kids, they wanted my grandkids. They were just trying to rip somebody off.’ So he says, ‘Dude, we’re gonna have to pass on it.’ And I give those guys credit, because you can’t give away everything.”</blockquote>

"Knicks believed Jazz were trying to rip someone off for Donovan Mitchell" - Charles Barkley - thesportsdrops NEWS

"Knicks believed Jazz were trying to rip someone off for Donovan Mitchell" – Charles Barkley

<a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/i-made-the-playoffs-last-year-they-didnt-patrick-beverley-pokes-fun-at-new-teammates-lebron-james-and-anthony-davis-2706-20220907-SPD-2706.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Maxi Kleber</a> has been rewarded for his contributions to the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-russell-westbrook-willing-to-make-big-commitment-for-the-lakers-2693-20220906-SPD-2693.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dallas Mavericks</a>‘ journey to the Western Conference Finals with a new contract extension for the upcoming 2021-22 season. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the two parties are negotiating the final terms of a three-year, $33 million deal extension.



He adds that the contract will be completely guaranteed and keep the forward in the NBA through the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. Kleber will ink a four-year, $34 million agreement with Dallas in the 2019 free agency period, the last year of which will pay him $9 million. 



His new deal with the club extends his stay in Los Angeles through the 2025/26 season and raises his average yearly compensation to $11 million. The 30-year-old has been with the Mavericks for five years and is now a crucial component of the team’s rotation. 



<h2>Maxi Kleber to stay in Dallas until 2026</h2>



After trading Kristaps Porzingis, they wanted him to cover Kawhi Leonard in the Playoffs, and he obliged by letting them run a 5-out offense. There aren’t many credible centers who earn $11 million per season, but every team needs versatile defenders who can stretch the floor. 



Kleber is the kind of bench player who can change the course of a playoff series; in April, he exploded for 30 points and helped the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Utah Jazz in Game 2 of the first round.

New three-year deal detween Maxi Kleber and Mavericks nearing completion

New three-year deal detween Maxi Kleber and Mavericks nearing completion - thesportsdrops NEWS

Never will you hear anybody say that <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-how-patrick-beverley-trade-could-impact-future-of-russell-westbrook-at-lakers-2618-20220827-SPD-2618.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Patrick Beverley</a> lacks self-assurance. He confirmed his reputation at Tuesday’s news conference, his first with the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-russell-westbrook-willing-to-make-big-commitment-for-the-lakers-2693-20220906-SPD-2693.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Lakers</a>.



Many people were taken aback when Beverley was sent off to the Lakers last month. Beverley quickly cut off the reporter who had begun the inquiry by claiming that he would get to play alongside <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/lakers-owner-jeanie-buss-defends-best-player-last-season-russell-westbrook-2646-20220831-SPD-2646.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LeBron James</a> and <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/neither-lebron-nor-davis-draymond-green-says-this-player-was-key-for-lakers-2020-title-2493-20220810-SPD-2493.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anthony Davis</a>.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“They’re gonna be playing with me. I made the playoffs last year, they didn’t. It’s a difference … I’m glad that, you know, we get a chance to play with each other.”</blockquote>



<h2>Patrick Beverley won’t submit to likes of James or Davis</h2>



There is also a history between Beverley and LeBron. The veteran point guard recently admitted to carrying a chip on his shoulder because of his dismissal from the Heat as a rookie soon after LeBron’s arrival.



Meanwhile, even though Westbrook and the 34-year-old are rivals, he was the only Lakers player to show up to Beverley’s first formal debut with the club. The duo established together they are ready to join up by enthusiastically hugging each other after the point guard had finished speaking.

"I made the playoffs last year, they didn't" &#8211; Patrick Beverley pokes fun at new teammates LeBron James and Anthony Davis

"I made the playoffs last year, they didn't" - Patrick Beverley pokes fun at new teammates LeBron James and Anthony Davis - thesportsdrops NEWS

"I made the playoffs last year, they didn't" – Patrick Beverley pokes fun at new teammates LeBron James and Anthony Davis

Nothing went as expected for <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-how-patrick-beverley-trade-could-impact-future-of-russell-westbrook-at-lakers-2618-20220827-SPD-2618.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Russell Westbrook</a> last year, in his first season with the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/lakers-owner-jeanie-buss-defends-best-player-last-season-russell-westbrook-2646-20220831-SPD-2646.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Lakers</a>. The team expected Brodie to improve the team alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but he left a lot to be desired.



Westbrook has been heavily linked with a trade out of LA throughout the offseason, but with training camp drawing nearer and not many landing spots out there, it’s possible that he comes back for the 2022-23 season.



Though there is still time for the Lakers to find him a new home, Westbrook is reportedly ready to do what it takes to come back stronger this year. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-players-with-most-triple-doubles-of-all-time-214-20220503-SPD-214.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Russ</a> would attend a LeBron James minicamp before the season gets underway.



<h2>Rumor: Russell Westbrook would attend a players-only minicamp before the start of the season</h2>



“LeBron James typically hosts a players-only minicamp somewhere on the West Coast before training camp starts, so stay tuned. Word is that another Lakers minicamp is likely in coming days and that Russell Westbrook would indeed attend if it comes together,” Stein wrote in his substack.



“Any sort of pre-camp gathering involving LeBron and his fellow purple-and-gold vets would represent a key step in the Lakers’ efforts to move past all the tension that bubbled throughout last season’s rocky 33-49 campaign, bringing James and Anthony Davis together with Westbrook and the newly acquired Patrick Beverley before the Lakers report for their first practices under new coach Darvin Ham on Sept. 26

NBA Rumors: Russell Westbrook willing to make big commitment for the Lakers

NBA Rumors: Russell Westbrook willing to make big commitment for the Lakers - thesportsdrops NEWS

According to sources cited by Marc Berman of the New York Post, the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/celtics-new-signing-danilo-gallinari-tears-acl-on-international-duty-for-italy-2661-20220902-SPD-2661.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York Knicks</a> would have wanted to wait until at least the middle of October to extend <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/steph-curry-singles-out-hornets-as-only-team-he-would-play-for-other-than-warriors-2672-20220904-SPD-2672.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RJ Barrett</a>‘s contract and would have been happy to wait until the beginning of the restricted free agency season on July 1.



After hearing that the Cavaliers were the frontrunners for Donovan Mitchell in a trade, the Knicks allegedly moved quickly to extend Barrett. When the Mitchell trade was made, the club had already confirmed Barrett’s contract.



The Knicks, according to Berman, were “shocked and disappointed” when they were unable to get Mitchell in a trade. Evidence also suggests the club was never given a fair opportunity to present its best offer before the Jazz agreed to the Cavs trade.



<h2>Knicks reportedly wanted to wait before tying Barrett down</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“According to an NBA source, the Knicks’ would have preferred not to sign Barrett to a hefty contract extension at this moment. They wanted to at least wait until the mid-October deadline to see him at training camp — or even until July 1, when he would have hit restricted free agency. “They didn’t want to pay RJ now, they like RJ, but he’s not one of their guys. The preference was to trade him in a Donovan deal. … If they got Donovan without Barrett in the deal, they weren’t going to pay RJ now.They had to do something,” the source said.</blockquote>

Knicks preferred holding off on extending RJ Barrett's contract until October

Knicks preferred holding off on extending RJ Barrett's contract until October - thesportsdrops NEWS

Though the expectations were through the roof in Philadelphia when the Sixers acquired <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/what-james-harden-needs-to-do-in-order-to-succeed-per-tracy-mcgrady-1672-20220620-SPD-1672.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Harden</a> in February, things didn’t go according to plan. For the second year in a row, the 76ers lost in the Conference Semifinals.



The team has to turn the page, however, and The Beard will have another chance to prove his haters wrong. There were doubts about his future following his poor ending to the season, but he’s not going anywhere.



Harden even <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-free-agency-james-harden-agrees-to-accept-15m-salary-cut-to-continue-at-76ers-2086-20220708-SPD-2086.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">took a pay cut</a> to stay in Philly because he feels he can win there. This could be one of his last opportunities to secure the elusive ring, but he is optimistic that he and <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-76ers-joel-embiid-perplexed-as-to-why-they-let-jimmy-butler-leave-after-defeat-to-heat-771-20220514-SPD-771.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Joel Embiid</a> can do it together.



<h2>James Harden believes he and Joel Embiid can win the ring</h2>



“I talk with Joel frequently and we have meetings about how we’re going to play and what we need to do to help our team win a championship,” Harden told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. 



“When you have two of the top players at their positions on the same team, that’s a great building block. We’re going to grow together and try to lead this team to the top. I believe we can do it together.”

NBA - Page 7