Lost in the chaos of the James Harden-Darius Garland trade is the fact that the Cleveland Cavaliers' newest official additions are ready to go. Both Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis are poised to make their debut for the Cavs against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome on Wednesday.
After hearing Cleveland's thoughts on the deal, both spoke after their first practice with the team.
“I think it's great,” Schroder told reporters on Tuesday afternoon. “First practice. A lot of new things. But we're really excited, Keon and me, to be with a team that competes on a day-to-day basis every night, getting out and competing at the highest level to get a win. We just try to bring that energy as well.”
“Since it's happened, I've watched the last two games,” added Ellis, who admittedly isn't too familiar with the Cavs. “I mean, I'm just excited to be on a winning team, come in, and contribute. I know they're trying to win every night, and I think I can help [with] the things that I do. I'm excited to be a part of that.”
Ellis believes his game is “winning basketball,” doing whatever it takes to put the team in that position night in and night out. For Cleveland to have its championship aspirations means a lot to him. There haven't been any advanced discussions about his role or anything because everybody is still in the introductory stage. Schroder, though, has seen his game up close and personal this season.
“Defensive activity is one of the best in the league,” Schroder said. “I think he is really handsy, getting a lot of deflections, being in the right spots. Offensively, his shooting. But his capabilities on the offensive end, putting it on the floor as well is really underrated. But I think defensively, shooting threes, playing fast, I think Cavs fans can look forward to seeing that.”
“Every night, I'm playing my hardest, trying to do my job at the best extent,” Ellis said. “Being a great teammate. Just trying to win.”
Schroder's style mirrors that mentality. He's also known to get under his opponents' skin.
“I've been 13 years in this league as a 6-1 guard, 180 [pounds],” Schroder said. “You need a competitive edge to make it that long in the league, I believe. I've been doing it my whole career. When I was young, I always wanted to compete. I always wanted to win. I think this fits well with this team.
“Getting [Jaylon] Tyson, Donovan Mitchell, Ev [Mobley], and [Jarrett] Allen to… not talk s***, but being competitive and making sure we go out there and go after it. I think kind of the dog mentality, if we have that, we go a long way.”
Humble and easy to deal with outside of the gym, Schroder loves his family first and foremost. But when he puts on a jersey, it's game time.
“On the court, I don't want to have friends,” Schroder said. “Once it gets between those lines, you just want to win. Whatever it takes to get a win, that's what I'mma do. Bringing that energy, bringing that competitive nature. Every single game, I'm gonna give 110 percent. I'm always treating it like it's my last game, going out there and trying to get a win. That's the most important thing that I'm trying to bring.”
Schroder's longevity is hard to argue against, and his latest success at the 2025 FIBA World Cup is further proof of what he can do when the stakes increase. Schroder was named the MVP of EuroBasket after leading Germany to its first championship since 1993, dominating the second half in an 88-83 win vs. Turkey.
“To play in big games, that's what I like,” Schroder said. “I like to be in those games, making sure that you're putting your teammates in the right spots, and embrace the moment. That's what we work every single day in the gym for, to be in those moments, and I'm looking forward to it with this team to be on the high stage.
He has also been to the NBA Playoffs eight different times, including the Eastern Conference Finals as a second-year player against Cleveland and in 2022-23 with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Cavs' expectations are even higher.
“It's always great that you have an organization who wants to play for something,” Schroder said. “You want to get as many wins as possible, so I want to chip in to that. Knowing these guys, playing them like a week ago, they go after it. I want to be able to chip a little bit into something big.”
Dennis Schroder, Keon Ellis' trade deadline experience
Schroder was in D.C. the day before the Sacramento Kings took on the Washington Wizards. Kings assistant general manager B.J. Armstrong informed him of the trade over the phone.
“That's the business, and I'm excited to be here now,” said Schroder. “The season wasn't really going well for the Sacramento Kings, and myself, the situation wasn't really [tenable]. So, I'd seen something coming up.”
“I wasn't really too much worried about rumors or anything,” Ellis added. “But when it happened, my phone was literally [blowing up]; I think I had like 140 missed calls. Every time I'd get on the phone with someone, someone else calls. Everyone's texting me; I'm trying to get back to the important people first. It was a lot, but it's all good.”
In his formative years with the Atlanta Hawks, Schroder grew close to Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson. He believes Ellis will like him; Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman, his agents at Priority Sports, have a longstanding relationship with Cleveland's man in charge. They told the 26-year-old the same thing his teammate had told him.
Besides Ellis and Atkinson, Schroder has only two connections on the team as it stands. Larry Nance Jr. is also represented by Priority, as is Thomas Bryant, with whom the German veteran played in Los Angeles in each's second stint with the Lakers in the aforementioned 2022-23 campaign.
Ellis is quite fond of Cavs assistant Jawad Williams from the two seasons the latter spent as the Kings' player development coach. He's also happy to reunite with Sam Merrill, his training camp teammate as a Kings rookie three-and-a-half years ago.
Eager to grow relationships with Cavs
Other than that, both are looking forward to establishing a relationship, on and off the court, from the top down.
“I mean, it's gonna take a couple of weeks,” Schroder said. “It depends on how close we are, how we're coming together, how the team chemistry is. I think that's the most important. First day was already great. I've done it before, and I think this group is nice enough, as a character, to bring me and Keon in great, and then we're just gonna compete on the highest level.”
“I'm kinda just meeting everyone as I go along,” Ellis added. “Just excited to meet everyone. Taking things day by day. I know I'll probably have to get names of everyone multiple times, figure out all the situations, and everything. But just really excited to play.”
From the outside looking in, they're both fans of what they've seen. Donovan Mitchell is certainly in that bucket.
“Great player,” Ellis said. “Definitely kinda glad I don't have to guard him anymore. That'll be nice, get to see his game on a nightly basis, and even everyone else.”
“Excited to play with the guys here,” Schroder added. “They're special, and I think we just want to come in and chip in to it.”
This is not the first time that Schroder has been dealt away; it is the eighth time he's been moved, and the Cavs will be the 11th team he's played for. Conversely, Ellis is learning about all of this as a trade-deadline newbie.
“I just try to take him under my wing and try to help him out,” Schroder said. “For me, it's easy. At the end of the day, you're going out there to compete, to win games. Whatever you have to do to figure it out, I will do it. Keon will do the same thing. Try to be great.”
“Really great team,” Ellis added. “They've got some great pieces. I think we can accomplish those goals that I know they have set. Definitely excited for that.”
