We knew that a couple of weeks ago after another ugly loss (29 points to the Timberwolves), the Cavaliers had a team meeting and in it things got a little tense — shouting, but not fisticuffs.
Not long after, Dion Waiters lost his starting spot to Matthew Dellavedova, which made sense as Waiters is shooting 39.9 percent this season and since he doesn’t bring much defense he needs to knock down shots. Then came the reports the Cavaliers are shopping Waiters around (and what they want in return is laughable).
Now comes a report of what happened in that team meeting that sort of ties everything together, via Chris Broussard at ESPN.Irving called the meeting after the game, and every player spoke. When Waiters was given the floor, he criticized Thompson and Irving, accusing them of playing “buddy ball’’ and often refusing to pass to him. Thompson took umbrage with Waiters’ words and went back at him verbally. The two confronted each other, but teammates intervened before it could escalate into a fight.
However, Waiters and Irving are not close. Waiters believes the Cavaliers have a double standard when it comes to Irving, sources said. Waiters feels that while Irving is allowed to get away with loafing defensively, making turnovers and taking bad shots, he is taken out of games for such things. Waiters has shared his views with Brown and Grant.
News flash Dion: There is a double standard. On every team. The face of the franchise is treated differently, it’s a tradition that runs from George Mikan through Michael Jordan all the way to LeBron James. The team’s biggest star gets more leeway. You are not the face of the franchise Waiters, Irving is.
Irving is the guy the Cavaliers are building around. Tristan Thompson may not live up to all the hype but he looks like a solid rotation player. Waiters looks like a gunner who wants to create his own shot but isn’t efficient doing it – 40 percent of his offensive opportunities this season come as the ball handler in the pick-and-roll but he shoots just 36.2 percent (stats via Synergy Sports).
What to take away from all this: Cleveland is going to move Waiters. Maybe sooner rather than later, but right now the offers that are going to come in are lowball ones, Cleveland has to be patient and get some leverage before making a move.