Dion Waiters has struggled to score for the OKC Thunder lately, so is it time for head coach Billy Donovan to make a change?
Dion Waiters has become one of the biggest offensive liabilities in the NBA as of late, and it’s time for Billy Donovan to change his rotation.
Waiters’ biggest strength as a player is the ability to score the basketball, something he has never been efficient at doing. His lack of efficiency has reached an all-time low recently, highlighted by his 1-for-8 shooting performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers last night.
Look at how concerned #Cavs were with Dion Waiters today. pic.twitter.com/FK8MXZZT5s
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) February 21, 2016
Before making his final shot attempt in Sunday’s loss, Waiters was 0-for-13 since dating back to the All-Star break with a plus/minus of -16. As a starter on a 40-16 team, that is not a good sign.
Things got so bad during yesterday’s game that Dion Waiters became a trending topic on Twitter.
Dion Waiters is trending.
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) February 21, 2016
His confidence is at an all-time low, which is saying something considering Waiters is known for being an irrationally confident shooter at all times. Even when he was presented with an opportunity to score, he was unable to capitalize on it.
As mentioned before, Waiters’ main responsibility is to put points on the board. When he’s not scoring, there is not much reason to give him extended minutes.
Waiters is shooting 28.9 percent from the floor and 23.5 percent from beyond the arc in February, adding up to a whopping 6.8 points per game in over 33 minutes a night.
Andre Roberson has been out with injury as of late, which has bumped Waiters into the starting lineup and forced Donovan to play him extended minutes, but Waiters needs to play better.
According to the NBA’s website, Waiters has missed 79 layups this season, and made 74. He is shooting 52.9 percent within the restricted area, nearly seven full percentage points under the league average, according to NBAsavant:
The Thunder recently acquired Randy Foye from the Denver Nuggets the day of the 2016 NBA Trade Deadline, and Foye plays the same position as Waiters. Foye made his Thunder debut against the Cavaliers, scoring two points on 1-for-5 shooting with one assist.
Foye’s performance definitely didn’t turn any heads, but his arrival brings hope for the Thunder in the wake of Waiters’ recent cold streak. Even if Foye peaks at his career shooting splits of 40.4 percent from the floor and 37.0 percent from long range, it would still be an improvement over Waiters’ play this season.
Roberson was also active for Sunday’s game, but did not see any time on the court during his first game back. It is likely that he will begin to receive more minutes as he further heals from the knee injury that held him out.
If the Thunder want to get on another winning streak, Waiters needs to sit. Either Foye or Roberson needs to replace Waiters in the starting lineup, starting immediately. Donovan also needs to cut Waiters’ minutes in half to allow him to work out of his slump without hurting the team.
More hoops habit: 2016 NBA Trade Deadline: Grades For All 30 Teams
Waiters will be one of the key factors in determining how far this team will go in the playoffs. Until he is able to consistently make his shots, he will have to figure out a way to contribute to the Thunder in a limited bench role.