NBA Trade Rumors 2014 Update: Dion Waiters Trade Could Be Shelved As Second-Year Guard Excels In Sixth-Man Role

The Cleveland Cavaliers were reportedly shopping Dion Waiters but the plan to trade the high-scoring guard could be shelved after a string of impressive performances from the 2012 fourth-overall NBA Draft pick.

Waiters was a starter in their first nine games this season in which he averaged 13.3 points, but had troubles complementing superstar point guard Kyrie Irving.

Previous reports suggested that Waiters and Irving are having a tumultuous relationship. Aside from Irving, Waiters also engaged in a heated altercation with Tristan Thompson during their infamous players-only meeting last month, which prompted coach Mike Brown to remove Waiters from the starting lineup.

The decision to play Waiters off the bench worked wonders for both the Cavaliers and the second-year guard, who scored more than 20 points in their last three games.

On Saturday, Waiters provided a much-needed spark off the bench as he finished with 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting to lead the Cavaliers to a 97-93 win over the Chicago Bulls, which snapped the Cavs' five-game losing skid.

After initially expressing his disappointment with the decision to remove him from the starting lineup, Waiters sounded like he is getting comfortable with his sixth-man role in Cleveland.

"I love winning," Waiters said in an interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "That's the best thing about it. When you're winning, everybody's happy. You don't have to go home frustrated and miserable. At the end of the day, I love winning. I'm passionate. That's what it's about."

Coach Brown, who has been very vocal about his desire to keep Waiters in Cleveland, had nothing but praises for the former Syracuse standout, who is now averaging 16.8 points in six games as a reserve.

"Dion's very comfortable where he is and we're comfortable as a team where he is. He's played some good basketball for us." Brown said on Waiters' recent performances.

The Cavaliers reportedly offered Waiters to the Chicago Bulls for Luol Deng, to the Philadelphia 76ers for Evan Turner, and the New York Knicks for Iman Shumpert.