The good and the bad of Dion Waiters
By Simon Smith
Good Waiters
First of all, Waiters has talent. Being selected fourth overall in a draft consisting of Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, Andre Drummond and Bradley Beal clearly demonstrates that you have ability. And considering he didn’t start a single game in his two-year college stint, the upside is clear.
This scouting report leading up to his draft could also be used now, after four seasons in the league. He is most certainly a great athlete, combined with great ball-handling and instant offence.
Waiters has a penchant for producing when presented with legitimate scoring opportunities. His last full season not surrounded by multiple superstars was the 2013-14 season. During that season, this is how he fared and without Kyrie Irving:
2013-14 Season Overall:
70 games; 24 starts; 15.9 points per game; 43.3 percent field goals; 29.6 minutes per game; 26.9 usage rate
Without Irving:
11 games; 8 starts; 21.2 points per game; 42.5 percent field goals; 38 minutes per game; 29.8 usage rate
His last two seasons, however, have seen a drop in his production. He remained with Cleveland for half a season whilst the team was acclimating itself with the return of LeBron James and the acquisition of Kevin Love. From there, he moved to Oklahoma City, where he found himself for the next season and a half playing along superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. To illustrate the drop off, compare last years stats with those listed above:
2015-16 overall
78 games; 15 starts; 9.8 points per game; 39.9 percent field goals; 27.6 minutes per game; 17.7 usage rate
To try and point out his most recent contributions, here is how he performed last season when able to attempt 10 or more field goals:
10 or more field goal attempts:
31 games; 7 starts; 13.9 points per game; 44.7 percent field goals; 31.1 minutes per game;
Most notably, the Oklahoma City were 26-5 during these 31 games.
The video above is a demonstration of Waiters’ capabilities: shooting range, driving to the rim, catch and shoot, running off screens.
The shots created by Westbrook in the video can certainly be re-created by Dragic this coming season. It certainly shows a high level of talent.
Next: Bad Waiters?