ESPN's Shams Charania has reported that free-agent guard Dennis Schroder has agreed to a three-year, $45 million deal with the Sacramento Kings. The Kings organization entered this offseason with a clear goal: find a true point guard. Fortunately for the Pelicans, that’s one position they don’t need to worry about.
I previously viewed the Pelicans' depth at point guard as somewhat of a negative, as I felt they had too much talent at one position. But after seeing how much Sacramento had to pay just to land a serviceable starter in Schroder, I've started to reconsider. This is no shade to Schroder, but he is 31 years old and played for three different teams last season.
Offering a contract of $15 million per season to someone who will be 32 at the start of the next season is a huge gamble. But that's the type of move you have to make when you have a hole at arguably the most critical position in the sport. Even after giving Schroder this contract, they still have no second option if he goes down with an injury.
He averaged 13.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 75 games last season, which is a relatively impressive stat line. However, he did struggle with efficiency. Schroder shot just 40.6% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range. These shooting splits further indicate how the Kings were forced to overpay due to their need for a point guard.
The Pelicans are extremely lucky
Having a point guard room that includes Jordan Poole, Dejounte Murray, Jose Alvarado, and Jeremiah Fears is a blessing for the Pelicans. Poole is an NBA champion, an elite shot creator and one of the league's best shooters during the 2024-25 season. He ranked fifth in threes attempted per game (9.1), yet shot an incredibly efficient 37.8% from beyond the arc.
Alongside Poole, the Pels have Dejounte Murray, who has been an All-Star and served as an offensive engine during his time with the San Antonio Spurs. Murray is a gritty, tough guard who is a leader and an elite playmaker, capable of scoring from all over the court.
Backing these two up, the Pels have Jose Alvarado and No. 7 overall pick Jeremiah Fears. Alvarado is a tough defensive guard who has a potent three-point shot. At the same time, Fears is likely the successor to both Poole and Murray. He is a highly talented but raw guard who could one day become an All-Star.
Even though it's easy to complain about the Pelicans' overload of talent at point guard, it's also important to note that things could be so much worse. They could be a team like the Kings, whose lack of depth now has them paying Dennis Schroder $15 million a season.