Next Season Scouting Report: Dion Waiters
By Joshua Lea
Dion Waiters is one of the more intriguing players that will sport a Thunder uniform next season. When Dion was acquired by the Thunder as a part of a three-team deal with New York and Cleveland, there was instant speculation on why a move like that was made. Would Dion fit in with Oklahoma City’s offense? Would he be comfortable coming off the bench? These question have yet to be answered due to the team not being at full strength; however, next season all that will change.
Like so many others on the Thunder roster, last season doesn’t really apply to Waiters. His role was very fluid, sometimes starting and sometimes coming off the bench, and not really able to play with Kevin Durant for more than just few games. With changes in the coaching staff and different rotations, it’s likely that Waiters will be a big part of OKC next season.
He was welcomed into Oklahoma with opened arms and there was definitely a “honeymoon” period. Dion seemed to appreciate his new teammates Durant and Russell Westbrook, which he revealed in a great interview following a win against the Jazz early in his Thunder career. Waiters spoke about his game play, building a better relationship with Oklahoma City, and his love for the Thunder fans.
Waiters played fairly well for the orange and blue last season, appearing in 47 games while averaging just under 13 points per game. He shot nearly 40 percent from the floor overall but his three-point percentage was a low 32 percent; however, he rebounded the ball well at almost three boards per game.
Not all of Waiters’ game is jump shots and screaming “and 1”, he’s also an underrated defender. When Dion is engaged and aggressive, he can fill up the stat sheet and make a difference in the game. The final game of the regular season against Minnesota was a glimpse of how good Dion can be.
Let’s look ahead to the upcoming season. It’s no secret that the Thunder have not been the same team since the departure of James Harden. When Harden left the bench suffered; it’s hard to bounce back from losing a guy than can easily drop 25 points on a given night. Is Dion Waiters the guy to fill that void? That will be answered this upcoming season. The difference in this situation versus Harden is the Thunder have a lot more talent on both ends of the floor. The forecast for Dion and next season will be to provide scoring off the bench. Dion can create his own shot and get to the rim when needed. He can stroke when he gets hot. The problem is when he’s not on, he’ll still shoot.
One thing Waiters has to learn is when to pass the ball. Once he gets in the paint on the drive, the defense will rotate for the double, he’ll have Anthony Morrow and Kyle Singler on the wing. If Waiters can find those guys in there spaces, there’s no reason Dion can’t average 15 points and 10 assist per game, thus making him a Harden-like player as a reserve.
Once Billy Donovan implements his offensive strategy, it should be very beneficial to Dion. He’s often viewed as a coach killer and a selfish player and the Cleveland fans aren’t exactly sorry he’s no longer with the Cavaliers:
But Waiters has the chance to disprove those theories in playing with Donovan. The one thing to watch out for is how he’ll adjust to the passing game. In the pick-and-roll offense, everyone needs to keep an eye out for the open man or the mismatch. My thought is Dion will be able to adjust to these settings, I have a strong feeling that training camp will be an eye-opening experience for the Thunder and the fans.
Assuming everything goes according to plan, OKC’s bench could be nearly as potent as the starting unit. This is what the Thunder have been missing since 2012 and perhaps throughout their brief history. If the bench can maintain the flow of the game while putting points on the board, Waiters could very well face his former Cavaliers teammates in June.