Thirteen minutes. For Dennis Schroder, it must have seemed like an eternity.
The Hawks rookie saw his first extended playing time in more than a month in the loss to the Magic on Sunday.
It far exceeded the five seconds — like 158 times more — than he played in his previous outing against the Cavaliers Thursday. In that game, Schroder entered, promptly turned the ball over and was immediately yanked by coach Mike Budenholzer. It was the low of a season filled with ups and down for the young point guard.
With the Hawks’ ranks thinned by injury, Budenholzer called upon the youngster against the Magic. He played 13:08, finishing with six points, an assist and two rebounds. Schroder’s three-point play to start the fourth quarter tied the score 79-79 in a game the Hawks had trailed after their opening basket. He then converted one of two free throws to give the team its first lead since 3-0.
“I thought Dennis was really good,” Budenholzer said. “He came in and gave us a big boost. He was a part of that group that battled back. He was attacking the basket and getting to the rim. I’m real proud of Dennis. I thought he did a nice job defensively. That is encouraging for Dennis.”
Schroder, a first-round pick, was the only Hawks draftee to make the team. Lucas Nogueira and Mike Muscala are continuing their development by playing in Spain. The 20-year-old had a firm grasp on the team’s backup point guard position behind Jeff Teague to start the season. But the spot slipped through his fingers with each mounting turnover.
The play of Shelvin Mack and the return of Lou Williams gave Budenholzer backcourt options. When Schroder had four turnovers in 27 minutes against the Rockets on Nov. 27, giving him 18 in 11 games, he found a seat on the end of the bench. After DNPs in three straight games, Schroder was sent to the NBA Development League. He played six games for the Bakersfield (Calif.) Jam, averaging 17 points, 6.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 turnovers in 34 minutes.
“I’m doing my best to get my playing time back up,” Schroder said.
He has played in three of the Hawks’ last seven games, including Sunday, since his return. In his 14 games, Schroder has averaged 3.5 points and 2.2 assists in 12.5 minutes. He was suspended one game by the NBA for striking the Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins in the groin while fighting through a screen.
When asked if the turnover against the Cavaliers was the reason Schroder was so quickly pulled, Budenholzer simply nodded.
While another D-League assignment could be an option to further Schroder’s development, Budenholzer indicated the NBA is the current plan.
“I think Dennis is somebody who needs to be ready to play and help us,” Budenholzer said. “I think the D-League is always something we feel comfortable using to develop players but that is not part of the Dennis conversation today. It’s about having him ready to come in and help us.”
The Hawks could use Schroder’s speed and his ability to break down defenses by getting in the paint. He complements Teague in that regard while Mack and Williams can score more readily from the outside.
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