Tag: Dion Waiters

Rajon Rondo is killing time in quarantine by doing some yoga

The Los Angeles Lakers point guard is doing his best to hold up through the short quarantine for players at Disney World.

Everybody is dealing with the NBA quarantine in their own way upon arrival to the Disney World campus. Before players are allowed to begin practicing and leave their rooms, they will have to complete a 24-36 hour quarantine and register two negative coronavirus tests. With the Lakers arriving late last night, they won’t get out of quarantine until tomorrow at the earliest.

With all the time on their hands, everyone is handling it differently. J.R. Smith spent extensive time on Instagram Live, Kyle Kuzma showed us his personal panini press and Rajon Rondo showed his fans why he’s known to some as “The Yoga Instructor,” showing off his practice set-up at the Disney World hotel.

Rondo will have a pretty big responsibility for the Lakers, which has only increased Avery Bradley’s decision to opt-out. Rondo has the trust of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Frank Vogel, so he will definitely get his chance to prove that Playoff Rondo is still very much a present-day phenomenon.

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J.R. Smith ‘went through a very depressed state’ while out of the NBA

Los Angeles Lakers guard J.R. Smith told reporters he had a tough time while out of the NBA.

Newly signed Los Angeles Lakers swingman J.R. Smith spoke to the media for the first time since joining the Lake Show, signing an NBA contract with them as he looks to play his first NBA game since the fall of 2018. If the NBA Restart goes on as planned, Smith will get to play a game and break a nearly two-year absence. During that absence, Smith dealt with a lot mentally, telling reporters that he went through a depressive period during his hiatus away from the league, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

“I went through a very depressed state for a long time,” Smith told reporters on a video conference call Monday. “And it lasted for a few months, where I just didn’t — I’m a big video gamer, I didn’t even play 2K anymore. I don’t want to hoop, I don’t want to work out, I don’t want to play 2K, I don’t want do anything with basketball.”

Smith signed with the Lakers last week to replace Avery Bradley. Bradley, the Lakers starting guard for much of the season, chose to opt-out of the restart as one of his children was recovering from a respiratory illness.

Smith is a career 37% 3-point shooter in the playoffs and he’s also 4th in made 3-pointers in NBA Finals history.

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Analyzing the potential offensive punch from the Lakers’ backcourt

The Los Angeles Lakers could have the best collection of guards in Orlando for their second unit.

With the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers loading up their respective benches, the Los Angeles Lakers now have also bolstered their backcourt, particularly off the bench, prior to heading to guard at Disney World.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday that J.R. Smith would sign with the Lakers for the rest of the NBA season to replace Avery Bradley. Bradley has chosen not to play in Orlando because of family reasons.

With Smith joining the team, it’s as if the Lakers have acquired their last Infinity Stone — for quick scoring, shooting guards who can guard multiple positions.

Smith, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Dion Waiters make up the trio of guards that could be a key difference for the Lakers in the playoffs. Each of these players are capable shooters, with Caldwell-Pope having an exceptional year shooting at a career-high 39.4% from deep, already playing a major role.

Since Bradley was the usual starting two-guard, Caldwell-Pope will likely slide into his spot and still play some minutes with the second unit. He has been a key player throughout the season, scoring 9.5 points per game on a career-high 47.2% shooting. He has also started 20 games this season, averaging 11 points while shooting 43% from the 3-point line in those games.

In addition to Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso figures to have an increased role. Caruso is arguably the best defender out of the four, with Caldwell-Pope right behind.

As an effective bench guard, Caruso has had a breakout season because of his quality perimeter defense. He will replace the level of defensive production Bradley brought. Caruso has scored 5.4 points per game and shot 35.5% from the 3-point line this season.

According to NBA.com stats, Caruso has a defensive rating of 100.3; Bradley posted a defensive rating of 104.0 this season. Units featuring LeBron James and Caruso have been incredible this season, posting a net rating of +20.8 over 54 games.

While Caldwell-Pope and Caruso bring more certainty, Smith and Waiters are the two wild cards, who could sprinkle in much-needed variance during the postseason. Smith hasn’t played since the 2018-19 season, when he only competed in 11 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Smith and the Cavs agreed for him to step away from the team in November 2018, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. The franchise worked to create a trade but one never surfaced. The Cavs waived Smith in July 2019, per NBA.com. 

Smith hasn’t played in a game since Nov. 19, 2018. It’s going to be an adjustment for most of the players in the Orlando bubble, as the league’s regulars haven’t played since March.

With Smith coming into a situation filled with pressure — only eight seeding games precede the playoffs — it’s worth wondering how much value he can really bring. He’ll be rustier than many of his counterparts, and yet, the risk is worth taking for the Lakers.

As the 2013 Sixth Man of the Year, Smith has proven he can score in bunches as well as anyone. Aside from his mishap at the end of regulation during Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals, Smith was pivotal during the Cavs’ playoff runs, especially during their 2016 Finals win.

During the 2016 Finals, Smith scored 10.6 points per game and shot 35.6% from the 3-point line. He was the Cavs’ third-leading scorer behind LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.

Waiters, who was signed shortly before the league shutdown, is the most gifted of this group when it comes to creating his own shot.

But he has only played three games this season. He was suspended by the Miami Heat multiple times, but he shined in the three games he earned run. This season Waiters has scored 9.3 points per game, grabbed 3.7 rebounds per game and shot 47.1% from the 3-point line on 5.7 attempts a game.

Those numbers make up a small sample size, but Waiters has proven his ability in previous seasons. Last season with the Heat, he scored 12.0 points per game and shot 37.7% from the 3-point line in 44 games. He has scored 13.2 points per game and shot 34.8% from deep for his career.

The quartet of Caldwell-Pope, Caruso, Smith and Waiters isn’t going to completely mask the absence of Bradley. The Lakers are losing one of their best defenders in Bradley, and the perimeter will have to be secured more.

Still, the scoring punch that particularly Caldwell-Pope, Smith and Waiters could deliver is intriguing.

Add in Caruso’s utility play style, and the Lakers could end up boasting a bench that can legitimately compete with the Los Angeles Clippers, the deepest team in the Western Conference.

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Lakers finalizing details to sign J.R. Smith to replace Avery Bradley

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the details on bringing in LeBron’s former Cavs teammate to the Lakers are being finalized.

J.R. Smith is back in the NBA and it happens to be on one of the three big favorites, alongside the same star player with which he was a member of the 2016 NBA Champions. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Monday morning that the Los Angeles Lakers are finalizing the details of a deal to sign Smith for the remainder of the season, taking the place of guard Avery Bradley, who elected to opt-out of the NBA’s restart due to family reasons.

During Smith’s last full season back in 2017-18 with Cleveland, he shot 37.5% from the 3-point line. Smith is a career 37% 3-point shooter in the postseason and he is one of the most prolific shooters in NBA Finals history, as well.

Although Smith’s gaffe in Game 1 of the 2018 Finals is one people continue to point out, as it’s one of the last big moments he’s been a part of, Smith now gets another chance to be remembered as the hooper he is. And if it wasn’t clear before, the decision to bring him in is a sign that LeBron’s trust in Smith, despite the memes, has not wavered.

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Hollywood as hell: Joakim Noah to sign with Clippers for rest of season

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Clippers have signed Joakim Noah for the remainder of the 2020 season.

While cases of the coronavirus in Florida continue to rise, the NBA is moving forward with their plans to finish the 2020 NBA season starting at the end of next month in Orlando, Florida, Most teams are scheduled to be back in their home markets starting on June 23, with the exception of the Toronto Raptors, who will be going to Florida next week. But there are plenty of decisions to come and a transaction window coming up, where the Los Angeles Clippers have made a signing to solidify their championship hopes.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Saturday that the Clippers will sign Joakim Noah for the remainder of the season. The Clippers signed Noah to a 10-day contract just before the NBA shut down in March.

Noah gives the Clippers some much-needed depth at the center position, helping provide some insurance behind Ivica Zubac and 6th Man of the Year contender Montrezl Harrell. He’s also a long-time LeBron agitator, dating back to LeBron’s Miami days. That will be especially key against the Lakers, who have Anthony Davis, as well as Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee in support of him.

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NBA will open transactions for all 30 teams starting June 22

The Los Angeles Lakers and all the other NBA teams will be able to make roster moves starting in two weeks, per Adrian Wojnarowski.

As more details leak out regarding the NBA’s plan to restart the season and crown a 2020 champion, the business of basketball is generally round the clock, except for right now. Right after the COVID-19 pandemic shut the league down back in March, the NBA suspended transactions But in about two weeks, the league will be opening back up for business once again.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Monday morning that the NBA is going to open up their transaction window on June 22, allowing all 30 teams to make roster moves. This could include the Los Angeles Lakers, but they currently have a full 15-man roster after the addition of Dion Waiters in early March.

Some folks have speculated that the Lakers could attempt to bring back DeMarcus Cousins, who was cut in order to add forward Markieff Morris to the mix. The Lakers could theoretically do that, but they’d have to waive someone else and it seems unlikely they’d make such a move without having seen Cousins play for months. Still, the Lakers, and all the other 30 teams, will have the option to make moves as they see fit.

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Dion Waiters recounts short, early-career run with LeBron James

Los Angeles Lakers guard Dion Waiters, who was signed roughly before the hiatus, talked about playing with LeBron in Cleveland.

Among the many storylines that had to be put on pause, or may not get a chance to play out at all, was that Los Angeles Lakers guard Dion Waiters had found his way into the NBA on a team with championship aspirations.

2019-20 was a difficult season for Waiters, which included multiple team suspensions with his former Miami Heat squad. Waiters addressed the depression he went through and also reflected on what it was like for him to be teammates with LeBron for the first part of the 2014-15 season in a first-person story on The Players’ Tribune. According to Waiters, he was still too raw at the time to really appreciate the experience.

I ain’t gonna lie to you. Back then, in those Cleveland days? I was still a kid, too. A dumbass kid, trying to figure it out. Bron used to show me different wines, different kinds of food. I was Philly Philly. I was raw. But Bron took me under his wing — and now all these years later, here we are again. Less hair, more wisdom. Life is crazy, right? Damn. 

Waiters, along with Markieff Morris, joined the Lakers to help bolster their bench. Waiters, however, would have added even more playmaking and creation in the pick and roll. If the NBA does return this year, however, Waiters could have a chance to make an impact for the Lakers.

Waiters also used to be a client of Lakers president Rob Pelinka and is a current client of Rich Paul of Klutch Sports.

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Philly’s Dion Waiters rocks Allen Iverson jersey roller skating in house

Los Angeles Lakers guard Dion Waiters rocks an Allen Iverson jersey while roller-skating around his house.

Life in quarantine has been tough for a lot of people, but some NBA players are beginning to lose it a bit. For example, Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris has begun playing matchmaker for some turkeys he found in his backyard and now Philadelphia native and Los Angeles Lakers guard Dion Waiters has turned his house into a roller skating rink.

Waiters posted a video of him roller-skating around his house while rocking an Allen Iverson jersey, because why not? It’s a South Philly thing. There is nothing else to do, but do some craziness such as this. The Iverson jersey is a nice touch for any Philadelphia native.

Waiters has only played three games with the Miami Heat this season due to various suspensions before the Heat released him and he was a free agent for a while before signing with the Lakers. He would have been a nice fit with the Sixers, but off the court issues more than likely made the organization stay away. [lawrence-related id=29284,29274,29258]

Dion Waiters discusses his relationship with LeBron James: ‘There’s always been a bond’

Dion Waiters discusses his relationship with LeBron James saying that there’s always been a bond between the two players.

Dion Waiters and LeBron James were teammates with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2014-15 season. But under head coach David Blatt, the Cavs struggled to reach their full potential during the first half of that season. Waiters was eventually traded at the deadline in a deal that returned Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith to the Cavaliers. Both players–especially Smith–would prove to be critical pieces of Cleveland’s NBA championship rotation in 2016.

Roughly five years later, Waiters finds himself lining up alongside LeBron again as the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers. While Dion is not expected to make his debut for the next couple games, he is expected to add scoring punch and playmaking off the bench for L.A. This weekend, he caught up with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin to discuss signing with the Lakers along with his relationship with LeBron.

“I mean, it’s always been a bond,” Waiters said when asked about his relationship with James. “Even when I left. We always see each other, we always showed love. So, nothing really changed. It’s just different teams. We don’t get to see each other as much, as often, but when we did it was always genuine. So, when I came here, like I said, they welcomed me with open arms.”

In addition to having a relationship with LeBron, Waiters also has an extensive relationship with Rob Pelinka who was Dion’s agent when he entered the league as the No. 4 overall pick. Waiters has since signed with Rich Paul and Klutch Sports adding even more layers of connectivity to the Lakers family.

“I just wanted to get a chance to talk to Coach and Rob,” Waiters said of the free agency process. “Rob (was) my agent for five years, so it’s been good. Everything went well. It went smooth. So I’m here today, and I’m happy, I’m excited. Just trying to get my feet wet, get back into rhythm and things like that and just figure out the plays and just get to know the guys.”

Waiters is not expected to play today against the Los Angeles Clippers but could be in the lineup over the next couple weeks.

Dion Waiters’ bizarre season may end with a Lakers ring

What a 2019-20 it’s been for him.

What a roller-coaster of a season it’s been for Dion Waiters.

For all the struggles and negativity, 2019-20 could end with the veteran guard being a key member of a championship-winning squad, the Los Angeles Lakers, who reportedly signed him for the rest of the year.

Let’s go back. Waiters was suspended for the Miami Heat’s season opening game, with a scathing statement from president Pat Riley in which he said, ““There were a number of unacceptable incidents this week, culminating with his unprofessional conduct on the bench last night.” That may have referred to a preseason confrontation between Waiters and head coach Erik Spoelstra.

Then, there was the longer suspension — 10 games — for “conduct detrimental to the team,” with reports of Waiters having a panic attack on the Heat plane due to ingested marijuana edibles.

He was suspended a third time for six games when, per reports, he told the Heat he was sick and posted an Instagram photo of himself on a boat.

Then, he was part of the Andre Iguodala trade to the Memphis Grizzlies and was waived.

Yet here he is, back with LeBron James — who played with Waiters in Cleveland in 2014-15 — and with a chance to make the kind of impact he’s made in various stops in his career.

It sounds like he’s on a short leash, which seems right:

But it’s also a spot for him to thrive. He doesn’t have to be a huge focal point coming off the bench. What he does have to do is what he’s done for much of his career: hit shots from outside, something he’s done pretty well over the past two seasons.

For his troubles, he could help lead the Lakers to a title and revive his career. What an end to that roller coaster that would be.

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