The Oklahoma City Thunder finally got rid of Carmelo Anthony and his bloated contract after finalizing a three-team trade with the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers that netted them point guard Dennis Schroder.
The Thunder Big 3's run was shortlived, but Paul George remains excited as he welcomes Schroder to Oklahoma City.
“Dennis is hands down the best backup point guard in the league. He’s that mid-tier star in the league, one of the best point guards in the league in general, and I’m excited. We have another scorer, another playmaker, and another savvy guy in the locker room that he help us win ball games.”
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Without a doubt, the Thunder will have more use for Schroder than Anthony. The latter was already on a decline but many have argued that he could've been more productive as a member of the second unit had he embraced such role. Meanwhile, Schroder does not boast of a similar resume as Melo, making him, in theory, a more willing bench player.
While Schroder is no doubt a dynamic talent, George's claim is debatable. Terry Rozier and Isaiah Thomas are formidable backups for their teams. Depending on how the rotation gets finalized, Markelle Fultz and one of Lonzo Ball or Rajon Rondo are also noteworthy names to challenge George's statement.
Regardless, the Thunder are still shaping up to be a dangerous dark horse in the loaded Western Conference especially if the German point guard comes into the season with a more mature mindset.