Dion Waiters Admits His Shortcomings While Playing with LeBron James for Cleveland Cavaliers

With age comes wisdom. Dion Waiters of the Los Angeles Lakers proves this well. The small forward has attained a mature status in the game. In the Lakers’ 119-112 win over the Orlando Magic in the Bubble, Waiters made his presence felt by scoring 12 points. This gives an insight into the bench strength that the Lakers boast today. LeBron James must be glad for him.

But Philly Cheese was not the same when he joined the NBA. He was the fourth overall draft pick in 2012 when the Cleveland Cavaliers got him. LeBron James, who was then part of Miami Heat, would soon join Dion. Just imagine how much can a new entrant learn if he has the likes of King James as a mentor.

Dion Waiters was adamant in the beginning

Dion has made big strides since the time he joined the Cavs. He and LeBron played together for just one season, 2014-15. The Cavs then traded Dion to Oklahoma City Thunder, and the coincidence was such that they won the NBA Championship in 2016. Waiters did not just miss out on earning that ring with the Cavs, he also lost a great teammate in LeBron James.

Reliving those days, he now says, “Just them things now that I didn’t probably understand when I was young. When you’re young, you’re still trying to find yourself coming into the league.” He might not regret a lot but still confesses, “I think Bron was trying to help me with that but I was so stubborn back then. But, I understand now. I’m 28. I’ve done been through a lot. I’m at peace with myself, though. So, I’m good.”

Have a look at the entire post as shared by Dave McMenamin of ESPN. He reflects on how playing with LeBron again, after five-six years of a gap, helps him understand a few things.

It’s a season of reunion for LeBron James!

We already know how JR Smith is so thrilled to be reunited with LeBron as he got signed with the Lakers. Dion is also back with his old teammate and this equation seems to benefit the Lakers. They have new entrants, but the captain of their ship has been involved with these new guns in the past. This must prove helpful when he leads the pack.

We also note that Dion had a very rough few years before joining the Lakers. He saw suspensions for various reasons from the Miami Heat squad. His transfer to Memphis Grizzlies was also short-lived. This is his best chance to showcase his talent.

The practice at the scrimmage has been good for the Lakers so far, and it would be good to see how they work on their rotation when the season restarts against the Clippers.

The NBA season restarts on July 30th and we have Los Angeles Lakers facing LA Clippers on Thursday, July 30th, at 9:00 PM ET.

Sources- Dave McMenamin – Twitter, Lakers – Twitter, NBA.com