Dennis Schroder Upgraded to Probable, Giving the Hornets Their Engine Back

Dennis Schroder’s foot has officially been upgraded to probable for Friday, meaning the daily guessing game of his availability might actually be taking a night off.

The Charlotte Hornets guard has been living on the injury report lately, but Underdog NBA confirmed he is trending in the right direction. Getting him back is a massive deal for a team that desperately needs someone to actually run the offense instead of just taking turns playing hero ball.

"Underdog NBA: 'Dennis Schroder (foot) upgraded to probable Friday.'"

If you forgot how much Schroder matters when he is actually on the floor, let’s do some quick math. Last season, he was quietly dropping 19.5 points and 7.8 assists per 36 minutes. Those are the kind of numbers that make you wonder why he isn't talked about more, right up until you check the medical updates again.

When a guy with that kind of usage gets the green light, the betting markets notice immediately. You do not have to be a professional gambler to understand that adding a near 20-and-8 guy back into the rotation completely flips the point spread and the total.

It feels like Schroder’s lower half has been under constant construction. Between a recent hip flexor strain that cost him five games, random ankle sprains, and now this foot issue, the man is basically being held together by athletic tape and stubbornness.

Assuming the foot survives morning shootaround, expect him to be out there Friday night. The Hornets need his production, and the rest of us just want to see if he can make it through four quarters without adding a new body part to the report.