Dion Waiters and The Underrated Skill of Not Giving a F***
Bubble Cheese, his skillset and no fear attitude have infiltrated the Lakers' DNA. Potentially, at just the right time.
Welcome to issue #15 of Throwdowns.
Basketball is back, even though it is not in the form we remembered it.
After the initial shock of the newness of it all, the sport’s essence is still mostly there. The piped in noises, virtual fans and the actual bubble mechanics will take some time getting used to however.
But for now, the NBA is on. And hopefully those who flock to it can find some type of solace. Now for this one, which is about the upside of infusing a little variance into a well-oiled machine.
Oh to be a fly on one of the walls inside Dion Waiter’s head as he dribbles a basketball. What is he thinking? What is he seeing? Who is he trying to destroy?
There is a unique type of grit when he pounds the rock. It looks different. It feels different. When Waiters has the ball in his hands, there is an energy, a sensation that anything could happen. Good or bad.
When the Lakers built their roster this past offseason, they did so by making sure those potential less-than-ideal outcomes were taken out of the equation.
Outside of a player like Dwight Howard, the front office were highly conservative when it came to who would surround their star duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Shooting specialists. Hard-nosed defenders. Bigs who could soak up the wear and tear that comes with playing the center position. Logistical decisions that made sense.
But as the season progressed, and wins began racking up, it still felt like the team was missing something. A component other top flight teams had that the Lakers did not.
An edge.
Photo by: Jesse D. Garrabrant - Getty Images | Throwdowns Illustration
“A Pitbull,” James Worthy proudly proclaimed on Saturday’s telecast. That is what Waiters is, and that is what the team was lacking. A player who is tough, not fake tough, but one who has gone through the fire.
One who has seen the bottom. And one who is desperate to never return.
It’s easy as fans, those who cover the sport, outsiders, to paint broad strokes when it comes to professional athletes. To get lost into the minutia of the game, instead of stepping back and embracing the context.
Waiters was a lottery pick, is only 28 years old and seemed to already be on his way out of the league as recently as this year. Swiftly chalked up by the majority as just another example of how it all could go wrong. Quickly.
“You know, I think sometimes the world needs to be reminded that we’re not superheroes,” Waiters penned in his own Players’ Tribune piece.
“I came from the bottom. I seen it all. But when I go home at night, I’m just like you. I go through depression, just like you. I go through anxiety, just like you. This last year and a half, I done been through it.”
Waiters — the person — has indeed gone through it. Both of his parents were shot at a young age. His brother and best friend, murdered.
His tumultuous NBA career he’s led so far feels trivial compared to those things, but it ultimately may be the route that helps him fully break through the fog that’s consistently been in front of him.
He is not a perfect player, or person. None of us are. But his past, the chip he carries heavily on his shoulder, have molded him into the player this Lakers’ team needs right now. Or at least, the closest semblance to it.
When the team lost Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo early into the resumption of play process, they also lost two guards who encompassed over 2000 backcourt minutes this year.
Say what you will about both of those players, many have, but quickly sliding in pieces to replace relied upon cogs is dicey. Especially this late into the season.
Waiters is not the point of attack defender Bradley is. He also is not the veteran playmaker that carries a well-regarded playoff reputation like Rondo. But, his skillset and fearlessness are traits within themselves that this team has been searching for all year.
Take this play from Saturday’s scrimmage against the Magic for example.
Waiters sets up his defender with a subtle hesitation before putting on the jets, and the instant his man is about to get parallel, he not so gently forearms him. Makes him feel him. Makes him think twice the next time he tries to get on his hip.
He then deaccelerates with a behind the back dribble that seamlessly blocks off the help defender’s window to get back into the play, switching hands as he gently puts the finishing touches on his creation. All orchestrated. Beautiful and brutal.
This play is Dion Waiters. His ethos. Tough, crafty and smarter than most expect.
Here are two more shots from Waiters on Saturday.
On the first shot, pay attention to two things: the shot clock and the coverage.
Catching the initial pass with about nine seconds left, Waiters is forced to make something out of nothing in this half-court possession for the Lakers.
Freezing his defender twice, first off the catch and then to create separation, Waiters rises up and cans a heavily contested jumper from the nail position of the floor.
On the second shot, pay attention to those two aforementioned things again. With about 12 seconds left, Waiters has plenty of time to swing this to Dudley or fire a pass directly to the open Smith in the corner. Instead, Waiters is feeling himself.
Noticeably behind the line, he once again rises up and this time drills the three over the outstretched hand of the defender. Staring expressionless at his cheering Laker teammates on his way down the floor. As this is what he does. What he is capable of.
Two difficult attempts, and two difficult makes. These suboptimal shots are not pretty, but they are often the types of looks that offenses are tasked with capitalizing on in the playoffs. Most of which are self-created.
Now imagine Rondo or Bradley in these similar situations. How would the offense and defense react differently? The answer to that is likely what the Lakers are banking on with Waiters.
The calculus and dynamism shift that his skillset presents compared to what was originally on the roster. Finding the right balance and honing this aggression however, will be key for Frank Vogel and his coaching staff.
As the bench unit sorely needs a player who can both create their own offense as well as scoring chances for their teammates, while also not being combustible to a point where James is unable to catch a breather.
Waiters has shown to teeter in both categories during the course of his career.
It is admittedly paradoxical that Waiters’ no f***s given approach would surely be perceived a negative on 99% of NBA rosters. But on this squad, it is the exact type of mindset and approach they have lacked.
Because outside of James or Davis, there is simply little to no one else on the roster who 1) can make these type of shots, and 2) dare to take them.
There are of course still ways this could go sour. Waiters’ shot could go cold. He could forget about the playmaking responsibilities. His conditioning may not prove to be up to snuff against upper echelon teams, especially in a playoff setting and on defense.
But even given all those potential potholes, there are enough pro’s with his inclusion to the pantry that the club is hoping outweigh the cons. He may not be the missing ingredient, but he is a bold one that could swing the outcome of the dish.
That is what Waiters has always been. And this is what the Lakers need. A wildcard.
“Fifty years from now, I don’t care what they say about Dion Waiters — except for one thing: That motherf***er was always himself. If they say that, I’ll be happy. If they say that, then I don’t care about nothing else.”