NBA Rumors: Dennis Schroder Wants Atlanta Hawks To Bench Jeff Teague

NBA rumors are swirling around Dennis Schroder. The 22-year-old point guard knows that he is capable of being a starter in the National Basketball Association, and he wants that to happen now. The big problem for Schroder and the Atlanta Hawks, though, is that the team already has a starting point guard in Jeff Teague. According to ESPN, Schroder wants Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer to bench Teague and promote him to the starting lineup.

This summer is going to be a rather interesting one for the Atlanta Hawks. They’re going to have some big decisions to make. First up on their priority list is Al Horford. The All-Star center becomes a free agent this summer. Hawks management has to decide if they want to give him a maximum contract. Atlanta likes having Horford around. However, he is turning 30 years old before the season starts next fall. $100 million is a lot to pay someone that will be 34 in the final year of his contract.

Pretty high up on the priority list is the point guard position. The luxury of having two point guards capable of starting wasn’t something that was going to last forever. The Atlanta Hawks have always known that Dennis Schroder was eventually going to demand a starting job. Atlanta knew that he wasn’t going to be satisfied being Jeff Teague’s backup forever.

Since Jeff Teague is just 27 years old and still one of the better guards in the NBA, the Atlanta Hawks aren’t exactly in a rush to get rid of him. Many are under the belief that the Hawks are leaning more towards Dennis Schroder as their long-term solution at point guard. Schroder seemingly has more upside than Teague. Plus, the five year difference in age is a huge thing because Schroder has more years left in the tank.

Fortunately for the Atlanta Hawks, there should be a market for Jeff Teague. There’s a lot of NBA teams that don’t even have a starting caliber point guard. They’ll definitely be receptive to trade talks involving Teague. The former Wake Forest Demon Deacons star still has plenty left in the tank. He can still be the long-term solution for a team, especially for those that are in position to challenge for a championship.

The New York Knicks are years away from being able to compete for an NBA Championship, but someone like Jeff Teague can help them shorten that time frame. Teague would certainly be an upgrade over Jose Calderon, who should be a backup point guard at this stage in his career. Teague could also run the pick and roll with Kristaps Porzingis, one of the best rookies in the National Basketball Association this past season and the future franchise player for the Knicks.

Since they’re needing an infusion of talent, the Brooklyn Nets could also be an option for Jeff Teague. Thaddeus Young is the second-best player on the roster. He’s largely unknown to NBA fans. Brook Lopez is more known by fans of the National Basketball Association. However, he’s not the type of player that can take the Nets to the playoffs by himself.

Having been swept two seasons in a row by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Atlanta Hawks know that they need to do something. They don’t want to go through the same thing for a third straight season. There’s a chance that they could choose to blow up the roster. Jeff Teague and Al Horford can bring a lot of talent back to the Hawks via trade. It might be time for Mike Budenholzer to pull the trigger.