Dion Waiters, scapegoat for underachieving
Dion Waiters and the Cleveland Cavaliers, haven’t been coming along as quickly as many people thought.
Going into this season they were unanimously picked as a team that would take the leap to the playoffs. So when the Cavaliers stumbled out of the gate at 4 – 12, it was time issue blame.
The blame could have started with the owner, but who wants to test Dan Gilbert’s gangster. If you even thought about blaming him, your family wouldn’t get a Comic Sans ransom note.
The next person in line was the coach, but he hasn’t been here long enough to get blame. However I have faith in him. Give him some time. He’ll slow the team’s tempo, and get the offense nice and constipated. Then he’ll be a candidate.
Then the media started looking at the GM. They started examining all of Chris Grant’s decisions. The big indictment against him was his draft selections. Everyone looked at Dion Waiters as being over drafted and “The Notorious DNP” Anthony Bennett as a potential bust (I say “potential” optimistically).1 With those two accusations in hand, Chris Grant’s job began to be questioned. However he was saved less than a week later by Dion Waiters.
A month ago a story emerged about an altercation between Dion Waiters and Tristian Thompson during a team meeting. That was accompanied by a report that said, Waiters thought Kyrie Irving got preferential treatment (RG3 style), and he wouldn’t mind being traded.
So now the stage is set. We have the disgruntled guy that’s bringing the team down, and the dopey GM that brought him in. The only problem is that the reporting was refuted by everyone on the team. Dion Waiters has said publically that he doesn’t want to be traded and has helped the team by accepting the role of 6th man2.
Coming off the bench Waiters has been exceptional. He is average more points and shooting the best percentage of his career. Waiters has given that Cavaliers something they haven’t had in the last 10 years. Instant offense off the bench. However facts like that don’t matter when the narrative about you is already written. And not only has a narrative, but a smear campaign has begun.
Not only is Dion Waiters this egotistical cancer, but according to David Thorpe of ESPN, Waiters is the 16th ranked Sophomore in the NBA. Thorpe has Jared Sullinger (14 points 7 rebounds), John Henson (12 points 8 rebounds), and Pablo Prigioni (4 points 3 assist) all ranked ahead of them. Meanwhile Dion Waiters is averaging 14 points 2 assist and 3 rebounds this season. SO why is he 16th on this list? I understand that it’s a subjective ranking, but who in their right mind thinks Pablo Prigioni is better than Dion Waiters? Prigioni is a guy that’s barely hanging on to the fringes of the NBA. To think that he should be ranked on any list is preposterous.
Let’s say that Dion Waiters is what the media thinks he is. Let’s say he is this ego filled guy who wants to be the Alfa dog on whatever team he plays for. Let’s say the Cavaliers’ front office believes that as well, and they trade him. How long do you think it would take for those same media members to say the Cavaliers made a bad move?
Then it would be time to blame Chris Grant…again.
- I heard Anthony Bennett referred to as The Notorious DNP on The B.S. Report. All credit to Bill Simmons and his outlet.
- I still thinks he wants to start, and I believe he thinks he is the best player on the team. Eventually he will want to leave. Right now it is working with him coming off the bench, and he should be the leading 6 man of the year.
Editor-in-Chief of Comedic Prose
Follow Kortney Williams on Twitter @kortneyshane