From what I’ve seen on message boards, social media and other stories, the potential acquisition of Dion Waiters has really dumbfounded Kings fans.
I also read the article on thesportsquotient.com that proclaimed Waiters as the worst player in the NBA, but then retracting and saying that he wasn’t.
// Look, I get it! Waiters at times can be extremely frustrating to watch because of his shot selection or his #shaqtinafool moments, but there is no denying his offensive talent.
He can flat out score the ball and in the right system, he is athletic enough to play solid team defense. Maybe Vlade Divac and Dave Joerger have had discussions about the different ways they can help him become a better player overall but especially on the defensive end.
Maybe, just maybe, Joerger believes he can help the young 24-year-old become a better defender. Waiters did show some ability to play solid defense in the playoffs with the Thunder and if the culture is healthy, he can buy in and become a capable defender.
Now, the culture hasn’t been the best in Sacramento for a decade now, but that is something Divac and Joerger will attempt to change in the near future.
So why should Waiters want to come to Sacramento besides taking a huge paycheck? In Sacramento, he will start at the shooting guard position and have the green light to score on a consistent basis and play for a head coach that will demand effort every single night on the defensive end. If he doesn’t give it his all, then Joerger will have zero issues sitting Waiters next to him on the bench.
Some fans by this point might be thinking, well “why not give Ben McLemore another shot?” Well, because we know that his basketball IQ is low and that he is extremely passive on offense.
We already know Waiters can score the ball and that’s something the Kings have wanted from their shooting guard for a long time now.
Best-case scenario for McLemore is becoming a Tony Allen type player, which is certainly not a bad thing, but again, in today’s NBA, the shooting guard needs to be able to score if your team is looking to contend for a title.
That is why the Thunder went out and traded for Victor Oladipo because they understand that André Roberson would be much better off the bench because he is one-dimensional.
The Kings are not even close to being mentioned in contention for a title until they make a playoff appearance but if they ever plan on being on that level, they will need a strong scorer at the shooting guard position.
Waiters would fill that void and even though I’ve been on record saying that they should stay away from him, there is no denying he would be a major upgrade over McLemore.
Are there better options than Waiters still on the open market? Sure, but neither Allen Crabbe nor Courtney Lee can say that they are better offensive talents than Waiters.
I would go with Crabbe or Lee because I know they can play solid defense but signing Waiters wouldn’t be the end of the world like many fans have boldly stated.
On the contrary, the Kings would be an improved team. How improved? Well, only time will tell but when you put things in perspective, signing Waiters isn’t as bad as many think.
Joerger might just be the perfect coach for this mercurial shooting guard who has yet to live up to his potential.
//
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
