Eighth employer in the NBA: Schröder and the fate of a basketball professional

Es war das übliche Prozedere, auf das ein Basketballer in der nordamerikanischen Profiliga NBA keinen Einfluss hat und auf das derjenige, den es trifft, gewöhnlich mit einer riesigen Portion Fatalismus reagiert. Und es ging schnell: Am Samstag sickerten erste glaubhafte Gerüchte durch. Am Sonntag kam die offizielle Bestätigung in den sozialen Medien. Und wenig später noch ein paar forsche Sätze aus dem Mund des Trainers. Steve Kerr hatte dem neuen Mann in einem Anruf kurz zuvor verraten, wie sehr er ihn in seinem Kader haben wollte.

„Ich habe Dennis heute gesagt, dass er mir schon auf drei verschiedenen Kontinenten den Hintern versohlt hat”, verriet der Coach der Golden State Warriors vor dem Spiel gegen die Dallas Mavericks mit einem Anstrich von Bewunderung und Respekt. „Er ist ein Kämpfer” und ein Spieler, der sowohl im Angriff als auch in der Verteidigung positive Effekte produziert.

Der Wechsel im Rahmen einer für die NBA klassischen Spielertauschaktion dürfte Schröder nicht aus der Fassung bringen. Von einem Tag auf den anderen in eine andere, mehr als 4000 Kilometer entfernte Stadt zu ziehen und sich an die neue Umgebung anzupassen, musste er schon mehrfach.

Die Golden State Warriors sind nach den Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors und zuletzt den Brooklyn Nets bereits sein achter Arbeitgeber in Nordamerika. Das Leben im Durchlauferhitzer, inzwischen mit Familie und drei Kindern, ist zur Quintessenz seiner Profi-Existenz geworden. Ein Job, der ihm bislang immerhin rund 100 Millionen Dollar (etwa 95 Millionen Euro) brutto eingebracht hat.

Er teilt dieses Schicksal mit hunderten von Basketball-Profis in den USA, befindet sich auf der Tabelle der Spieler, die am häufigsten herumgereicht wurden, den sogenannten „Journeyman”, mit seiner Vita aber nur im oberen Mittelfeld. Den Rekord hält der Amerikaner Ish Smith, der bei dreizehn unterschiedlichen Teams unter Vertrag stand und vor wenigen Monaten seine Karriere beendete. 2023 hatte er auf seiner Tour d’horizon beim Zwischenstopp bei den Denver Nuggets etwas geschafft, was Schröder noch nicht beschert war: Den Gewinn der NBA-Meisterschaft.

Smith dealt with his vagabond existence pragmatically. Even if his commitment sometimes expired after just a few weeks. “If someone doesn’t like me, someone else will,” was his motto. Along the way, he learned the traveling salesman's basics: just don't sign long-term rental contracts for an apartment. His agreements included special termination clauses in the event of a sudden, forced move.

Trevor Ariza, who was traded eleven times and retired in 2022 at 37, didn't let himself be depressed either. Not even on that memorable day when a whopping four teams held and passed on the rights to his contract, at least for a few minutes.

He said it didn't matter where he played. The whole thing is a mixture of being a tourist and taking geography lessons: “This way my family and I can get to know completely different parts of the country.” Like Smith, Ariza, who earned a total of $118 million (around €112 million) over the course of his career, won the championship once: in 2009 with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Schröder has often indicated that he has learned to deal with these facets of his job. And that he doesn't overvalue gestures like the documentary the Nets gave him this year – titled “From Braunschweig to Brooklyn”. Nobody cries crocodile tears after him.

“It’s never easy to see any of us go,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said. But at the same time you have to keep the big picture in mind. In the long term, this is what’s best for our franchise.” In other words: From now on, Brooklyn will focus on the lower places in the table and try to catch a promising young player with the help of a high draft position.

Something like this was already apparent at the beginning of the new season, when Schröder outlined his premonition of what was to come: “I know how business works. I accept every decision and say to myself every time: This is the best league in the world. It doesn't matter where I play. Even if I get traded, I see the positive side of it.”

He started the current season in October stronger than ever since he moved to the USA in 2013. His calling card: 18.4 points, 3 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game as well as a shooting rate of 45.2%.

The move to San Francisco, where Schröder will be part of the squad on Thursday, gives him a change of scenery that he has probably often dreamed of. When asked during his time in Oklahoma City which NBA city he would most appreciate, he said, “Probably San Francisco. It has a certain European touch.”

It is difficult to predict how the rollercoaster will turn out and whether he might be offered his next contract with the Golden State Warriors at the end of the season. Stephen Curry, the main force in the team, is as optimistic as his coach and welcomed Schröder with a cryptic, short message on Instagram: “Let's get it”. Which means something like: “Let’s get him” – the title, for example?

The program with Schröder, possibly in a leading role for the Warriors' attack, starts on Friday (2:00 a.m. CET on NBA.TV). The first opponent: the Memphis Grizzlies.