Dion Waiters offered a quote on Wednesday that makes it seem like he is not too happy with his role on the Cavaliers.
Waiters, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2012 draft, is being asked to focus defense and 3-pointers, which he doesn’t feel suits his style.
“That’s not my game,” Waiters told The Akron Beacon Journal on Wednesday. “I can do it, but you know what I’m effective at: pick-and-roll and things like that.”
Waiters was told that if he does not accept his role, he would be benched. That’s what happened for the Cavs’ game against the Jazz when Shawn Marion replaced him in the starting lineup (the Cavs lost 102-100).
Waiters’ struggle to adapt to his new role is not too surprising. He said over the summer that he did not want to come off the bench, and there were reports last year that he wanted to be traded.
It’s pretty obvious that Waiters does not embrace a team concept and wants to be a star player rather than role guy. It’s also pretty clear LeBron was talking about Waiters, among others, when he talked about Cavs players needing to break bad habits and be more unselfish.
“There has been a lot of losing basketball around here for a few years,” James said Tuesday night. “A lot of guys who are going to help us win ultimately haven’t played a lot of meaningful basketball games in our league. When we get to that point where every possession matters, no possessions off, we have to share the ball, move the ball and be a team and be unselfish, we’ll be a better team.”
My prediction? Waiters will probably get traded. You can’t win with a guy who has this sort of attitude:
Dion Waiters just recorded his first assist in 10 quarters, took 25 shots in between them.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) November 6, 2014
Waiters obviously did not pay close attention to what the Spurs did last year in the playoffs.
