Dion Waiters has made it clear that he doesn’t want to embrace his role as the potential sixth man of the Cleveland Cavaliers, but being the sixth man isn’t as bad as what many people make it out to be. Waiters is a an off-the-charts talent, but with rookie Andrew Wiggns potentially in the fold Waiters may be forced to come off of the bench. Waiters is clearly the better basketball player at this stage in his career than Wiggins, but Waiters skill set could get in the way of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
With Waiters as the sixth man he is able to play his same style with the second unit. Waiters can score in bunches quick, fast, and a hurry, and that could bode well with for the team. Waiters will still get his minutes in that role, and he could even help close games with this arsenal of offensive talent.
The sixth man position has been huge for championship teams in NBA history. Guys such as Manu Ginobili (Spurs), Vinny Johnson (Pistons),Sam Cassell (Rockets), Toni Kukoc (Bulls), and Bill Walton (Celtics) have been key cogs to championship teams. The Cavaliers have a long way to go to become a championship caliber team, but if Waiters accepts his role as the sixth man he could propel the Cavs to the next level.
It may be upsetting to be come off the bench for a player that you better than, but it’s more important to look at the big picture. Waiters needs to take a step back and see how important the sixth man position. Once he realizes the importance of that role, he could be the next great sixth man in the NBA.
