NBA Trade Rumors 2014 Update: Cleveland Cavaliers Growing Tired Of Dion Waiters; Guard Could Be Dealt
- Paul John Rivera
- Jan 14, 2014 02:01 PM EST
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The Cleveland Cavaliers made a blockbuster trade earlier this month and it will not be surprising if they strike another big deal before the annual NBA trade deadline.
The Akron Beacon Journal reported that the team could consider trading Dion Waiters due to his erratic behavior on and off the court. The report said that his Cavaliers teammates are losing patience with the attitude problem of the sophomore guard.
"He still has a lot more growing up to do. He has to stop sulking on the court when things aren't going his way. He has to stop thinking people are out to get him. The coaches see it, the players see it, and basically everyone inside the organization has seen it," the Akron Beacon Journal noted.
During their 124-80 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, Waiters earned the ire of fans and teammates when the 2012 fourth-overall pick threw his hands in the air in frustration after coach Mike Brown substituted him out of the game following a bad pass to a teammate.
After said incident, Waiters did not stand during a timeout and was seen pouting while his teammates were huddling. Assistant coach Jim Boylan reportedly approached the 22-year-old guard and told him to join the huddle.
Luol Deng, who was recently acquired by the Cavaliers in a trade with the Chicago Bulls, had a striking statement after their loss. While he did not call out names, Deng sounded like he is also referring to the ugly behavior of the former Syracuse standout Waiters.
"If you're trying to be in this league a long time, you're going to have many days where you're not playing your best," Deng said. "What I asked of everyone is just to have each other's back. If you say something to somebody on the court, it can never be personal. We're on the same team, we're going to battle together."
The Cavaliers reportedly shopped the second-year guard earlier this season. He was reportedly offered by the Cavaliers to the Bulls for Deng -- an offer that was previously declined by the Bulls because it happened before Derrick Rose went down with another season-ending knee injury.
Cleveland also talked to the New York Knicks about a potential Waiters-for-Iman Shumpert swap, but the Knicks turned down the offer.
The Los Angeles Lakers expressed interest in acquiring Waiters during their negotiations in the unsuccessful Andrew Bynum-for-Pau Gasol swap, but the Cavaliers expressed no interest in giving up Waiters.
Cleveland's stance could change heading into the Feb. 20 NBA trade deadline.
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