With the fourth pick in the 2012 NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Dion Waiters. Waiters is a 6-foot-4-inch guard from Syracuse.
All (well, most) of your questions about the pick are answered here.
Should the Cavs have used the #4 pick in the entire draft to select a player who couldn't crack his college team's starting lineup?
After Bradley Beal was taken, the other options weren't that great. Waiters was clearly the best guard in the Big East playing for one of the best teams in all of college hoops. He was certainly talented enough to start. The Cavs went for a home run with this pick.
Did the Cavs pass on Thomas Robinson because they already have Tristan Thompson?
ESPN reported that the Cavs had Waiters rated higher than Robinson.
Do the Cavs need scoring?
Well, duh … with Antawn Jamison leaving, they definitely need scoring. Even with Jamison the Cavs had no one other then Kyrie Irving who could score. Waiters can not only put it up and create his own shot, he can hit the open jumper, and he passes the ball well for an explosive scorer.
Ok, but doesn't Waiters have some maturity issues?
Hopefully, his maturity issues were overblown and he keeps improving.
Are there any other concerns?
The concerns about Waiters are his size and shooting ability. He has the strength to make up for his height. His jumper is a little slow. To avoid his shots getting swatted into the front row, he'll need to quicken it a little more. He seems like a streaky shooter, also.
Yeah, but Waiters is still a great scorer, right?
Waiters is a cocky player who is full of confidence, which is what you want in a shooting guard. He is a very talented offensive player. He can take it to the rack and finish. He should also be able to get to the free throw line. When he gets a head of steam he can be unstoppable. He has a very high overall ceiling. His lack of 3-point shooting (36.3 percent in his final year) keeps him from a complete offensive package, but he can still knock down shots.
Will Waiters struggle to compete defensively on a night-to-night basis in the NBA?
Nobody really knows. It is hard to translate college defense to NBA defense, but he was fifth in the Big East in steals in 2011-12. Hopefully, Waiters won't have trouble keeping his man in front of him. Like most rookies, he won't step in and be an elite defender. He will have to learn how to fight through picks and move his feet. On the other hand, he has quick hands and was Syracuse's best defender at times.
How will Waiters play with Kyrie Irving?
The small backcourt is a concern. However, they now have two guys with killer instincts back there. The Cavs are going to be very hard to defend with Irving and Waiters together.
What NBA players does he remind you of?
Some are saying Dwyane Wade, but after watching his highlights, he looks more like James Harden to me.
I have been following the Cavaliers for forever. You can follow me on Twitter here. Still want more? Go to my blog.
