Cleveland Browns training camp primer
July 25, 2013EA Sports unveils official cover of NBA Live 14 featuring Kyrie Irving
July 25, 2013While he may not have a kitschy label attached to his loyal-beyond-reproach fan base1, Dion Waiters has taken to Las Vegas as the hardwood Wayne Newton. When not spinning and driving en route to a hard-fought two points amidst a Summer League contest, the impending second-year shooting guard is turning heads in his desire to improve upon a season that saw him be named as one of the league’s five best rookies.
Last season’s trip to Sin City saw Waiters leave looking as if he was there strictly to binge on Binion’s buffet. His rookie season Summer League came complete with questionable decisions, injuries and physical comparisons to Khalid El-Amin. Fans grew concerned that the fourth-overall pick lacked motivation, that the decision to not work out for teams prior to being handed a flat-brimmed snapback from the commissioner was indicative of a larger personality trait. At the team’s annual media day, Waiters would say that he wasn’t overweight, but “thick.” Regardless, the bar had already been set higher than anticipated due to his surprising selection; Waiters’ performance immediately following his introduction left a lot to be desired. An uphill battle was placed firmly in front of the suddenly portly kid from Syracuse, a season of ups and downs (and some nagging injuries) would soon follow. It ended with the Cavs’ shooting guard being forced to watch players selected after him—Golden State’s Harrison Barnes, for instance—spend their early summers enjoying postseason play.
Anyone who follows Waiters on the myriad of social media outlets to which he has log-in credentials has seen—in addition to promotions for his upcoming charity-based bowling event2—the images and videos of his workouts. They’ve seen a Dion Waiters that looks lean; they’ve seen a Dion Waiters who appeared resigned to the fact that he missed entirely too much time leading into the grind of an 82-game rookie season. Whether it has been in a South Philly gymnasium with close friends or late-night workouts with Cavaliers assistant coach Jamahl Mosley within the confines of Cleveland Clinic Courts, Waiters has been fine-tuning his craft and improving his physical condition ((Working hard leads to typos.)). Letting fans get a sneak peak merely set the tone for what was to come.
In Vegas, flanked by teammates and hopefuls, Waiters took over. In a recap of the rookies who took part in their first taste of NBA-quality play, it was determined that Carrick Felx, the team’s recent second-round guard out of Arizona State, had shown flashes, but was relegated to a “front row seat for the Dion Waiters show.” Certainly, he started out in a bit of a shooting slump, but it would not be long before making 7-of-10 from the field for 15 points in one half against the San Antonio Spurs’ Summer League squad. Though questioned at time by sideline commentary, Waiters accrued these totals with a variety of mid-range jumpshots as well as lethal dribble-drives from various areas of the floor. At one point in the contest, Waiters would earn a trip to the line after being fouled by a Spurs triple-team; it was the only way they could hope to contain his explosiveness near the rim.
Even better signs may come in the form of focus and education. With the addition of Jarrett Jack to the Cavaliers3, no longer will Waiters be forced to play the role of reserve point guard. Though possessing plus ball-handing skills for an off-guard, Mike Brown endeavors to do what Byron Scott could not in keeping Waiters off of the ball, working with Kyrie Irving instead of attempting to alternate possessions. Coupling this with the improved work on the defensive side of the ball—the zone defense, being long in the rear view—and Waiters’ focus on film study and shot selection, it seems as if the pieces are falling into place for Dion to make the leap to a household name amongst shooting guards. After all, the only thing between Waiters and Dwyane Wade is Von Wafer4.
Waiters has set a personal goal of shooting at least 45 percent from three-point range this season, one year after barely breaking 30 percent as a rookie. In 2012-13, Waiters was an easy target for criticism due to decision making and shot selection; even those that he would make tended to be of the “no-no-no-YES” variety, one-footed and falling away. Many want to point to his explosion against the Los Angeles Clippers as a positive which would ultimately lead to the rim-attacking guard posing as the next Reggie Miller. Cracking the 40-percent mark would provide the Cavaliers with something that only Irving and teammate CJ Miles were able to accomplish a season ago. Knowing that he will not be having the ball in his hands as much as a point guard, Waiters is already lobbing tongue-in-cheek quips about having to pull down “six or seven” rebounds per game just so he can occasionally initiate the offense.
Playing alongside Irving and Jack, Waiters doesn’t have to worry much about being a vocal leader. Sharing a locker room with Andrew Bynum and a first-overall pick in Anthony Bennett5, there will not be much pressure in terms of expectation. With the season set to tip off in just three months, Waiters has already played more basketball this summer than he would have through the entire offseason leading into his freshman campaign. His role is carved out, his personal goals are set. The safety nets of being “just a rookie” will no longer be in place. The Cavaliers did very little in the way of adding NBA-ready, offensively-minded wings during the offseason. Soon, it will be up to Mr. Las Vegas to transition his show—the spinning, driving and occasional highlight dunking—back east, using his roller coaster rookie season as a springboard.
—
(Michael Ivins-US PRESSWIRE)
16 Comments
Is Dion Waiters primed to make a leap? Let’s hope so. We won’t make the playoffs if he isn’t solid all year long
“Playing alongside Irving and Jack, Waiters doesn’t have to worry much about being a vocal leader. Sharing a locker room with Andrew Bynum and a first-overall pick in Anthony Bennett 5 , there will not be much pressure in terms of expectation.”
Good points, this.
So is Dion Waiters the modern equivalent of Mark Price (who had Daugherty [#1], Harper [high expectations], Hot Rod [nickname], Nance [big veteran acq]), at a different position?
I blame Byron for a lot of what happened last year, but not for Dion never getting 100% coordinated in his role on the floor with Kyrie. Injuries kept them from logging sufficient minutes together in training camp and early in the season when there was more practice time. If Kyrie can keep his body together and on the court at least until the all-star break Dion should be fine. He seems to be motivated, he’s unselfish and he has a decent enough basketballl IQ. Huge year for him , and we should have an excellent idea of what he is by season’s end.
for that to work, Dion would have to be the best player on the team
??
Mark Price was the best player on those teams IMO.
Know he was a fan fav, but haven’t heard anyone say he was the best of that group. To me he was maybe tied for 3rd or fourth, considering Harper, Nance and at times Daugherty were dominant. Price never dominated – he had smarts and very refined skills and was a sharpshooter but was too weak to drive in traffic and was regularly overmatched and outmuscled on defense. Not an all-around player. I think people here really overrated him, for various reasons.
you are incorrect. he was vastly under-rated largely because many nationally didn’t appreciate the skills as they would today (see: Curry).
just to keep it simple, using PER. rank on team (year refers to the year the season ended):
1987 – 10th — rookie year
1988 – 2nd (Nance 1st)
1989 – 1st (Nance 2nd)
1990 – 1st (Nance 2nd)
1991 – 1st (Nance 2nd)
1992 – 2nd (Daughert 1st)
1993 – 1st (Daugherty 2nd)
1994 – 1st (Daugherty 2nd)
1995 – 1st (Brandon 2nd)
that’s it? PER?
in his Cavs tenure: 48%FG, 41%3pt, 91%FT — 59%TS
not to mention his ridiculous passing. 37% AST% and well above 40% most seasons (and nearly 50% as he got older and was less prone to shoot himself). that means he was either shooting or getting open shots for others constantly.
I knew there was always something I didn’t like about you but this clinches it. Price made those Cavaliers teams go he may not have stood out because of his demeanor but he was the quiet assassin.
Oh yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Wish I could be as confident but I’m not. Of course I was down on Tristan and he proved me wrong a year ago so hopefully Waiters does the same.
Dudes – Mark Price was FIRST TEAM ALL NBA in 1992-1993. I think he was the only player outside of LeBron to ever do that as a Cav. Price’s prime was very short – no argument there. But at the peak of his powers he was the best player in the league at his position.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1rkIcmNftw
including HOFers Magic, Stockton, Thomas … ? Feel like I’m in a parallel universe. More likely I’m the one old enough not to conflate the player with a worshiped wall poster. He was great, had excellent skills at a few things. Tons of grit. Got every ounce from his talent. His game was also limited.
I am not sure I understand your phrase: “including HOFers Magic, Stockton, Thomas?” Are you asking whether he was first-team All NBA ahead of all of those guys? If so, then the answer is , yes, he was for one year. That is how much he was respected in his prime.
The Cavs have only had 3 players ever make 1st, 2nd or 3rd team all NBA – Daugherty, Price, LeBron. Daugherty was 3rd team once, Price was 3rd team twice and 1st team once, and we all know LBJ. I think the knock on Price being seen as truly great is his short career and inability to stay healthy. But, at his peak, he was elite.
Also, not sure what hero worship has to do with it. I am pointing to an objective fact – First Team All NBA. That is VERY hard to do in the NBA. Only 5 guys make it each year.
I want to note that I have never said he was better than those 3 PGs. I was only referring to the Cavs.