The Wait Is Over

by **Rizzo (NY)** Fri Jun 20, 2014 8:05 am

The wait is over in New Orleans.

Early on in the season, the Pelicans pulled off a huge trade, sending away Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson and Caron Butler to Cleveland for DeAndre Jordan, Jose Calderon and an injured Dion Waiters. Rizzo had had his eyes on Jordan for quite some time, but Waiters, who was ailing from a torn MCL, was just the cherry on top. He didn’t envision being able to add a player of Waiters’ caliber to an already stacked roster, but he did just that.

It has been a long wait for Dion. He’s been rehabbing for what seems like forever for the young power guard. He’s ready to get back on the court and prove he can be a key cog in the Pelicans’ run to a title. Sure, the outlook in New Orleans got a more bleak when Anthony Davis fell victim to his own torn MCL, but the Pelicans are still playing with a purpose.

What will Waiters bring to the table? He’s a tenacious defender and has the ability to jump the passing lanes with ease. He’s got a wicked mid-range game with tight handles, allowing him to get into the lane and power his way to the rim. Pairing him up with Marcus Smart could form a defensive duo in the backcourt that will give opposing guards fits up and down the floor.

As of right now, where does Waiters fit into the lineup? Most of the season saw the Pelicans starting Smart at the one while rookie Gary Harris was starting at the two, but recently a Greivis Vasquez-Smart backcourt has gotten the start. There could be some mixing and matching going on to try to create the best chemistry on the court. But with five guards needing minutes (Smart, Waiters, Vasquez, Harris and Calderon), there is going to be someone on the outside looking in when it comes to logging minutes. Coach Doc Rivers sees that has a great problem to have and looks forward to seeing his full complement of guards on the floor together.

by andrei (MEM) Fri Jun 20, 2014 8:11 am

Good player. Looking at him last year it looks like he regressed in a few categories like Handling, IQ and defense so lets see if he can get a fresh start in NO