Hawks guard Dennis Schroder doesn’t want to play for a team that consistently finishes at the bottom of the standings.
The 24-year-old said at a press conference in his native Germany on Monday he will meet with Hawks management this week to discuss the direction of the franchise. Atlanta finished 2017-18 with the worst record in the Eastern Conference.
“I don’t know what the organization has in mind,” Schroder said [via FIBA Basketball]. “Of course, Atlanta is my city, I was drafted there, have a lot of memories, but I have to look individually what’s the best for me.
“I will talk to the general manager and owner of the team and we will talk about the organization and what they want to do in the future.”
Schroder said he could see himself potentially playing for the Bucks or the Pacers, both of whom made the playoffs this season. He then unfollowed the Hawks’ Instagram account Tuesday and deleted all posts related to the team, according to multiple reports.
“[Milwaukee and Indiana] are the two teams where you can say the organization is going in the right direction,” Schroder said. “I will be 25 in September and of course you want to win a title some time. In my prime… I want to compete.”
Schroder, a five-year NBA veteran, averaged 19.4 points and 6.2 assists per game in 2017-18. He signed a four-year extension, worth a reported $70 million, with Atlanta in 2016.
The Hawks finished the season with a 24-58 record and parted ways with coach Mike Budenholzer in late April. They hired former 76ers assistant Lloyd Pierce to replace him last week.
