Dion Waiters has been mentioned in draft rumors since earlier in the season and now things have picked up as the NBA trading deadline gets closer and some teams that could get in on the action includes the Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers, LA Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies or Los Angeles Clippers.
Waiters has been mentioned in rumors since news came out that he and Kyrie Irving had issues earlier in the season and now that the deadline is coming up, the Cavaliers could consider making moves. According to Pro Basketball Talk, Waiters could be the first man to go if the team doesn't show "significant" improvements over the next two weeks heading into the deadline and it comes after the Luol Deng trade with the Chicago Bulls. That was a last ditch effort to try and get the team back on track, but so far nothing has worked right for Cleveland and now both Mike Brown and Chris Grant could be close to getting fired, while Waiters could be on his way out of town.
Grant is taking a big hit after the way top overall pick Anthony Bennett has played and if he ends up trading away the former number four pick in the 2012 draft, which would look pretty terrible as well. Waiters has not been doing himself any favors, as he has reportedly clashed with Irving, coach Mike Brown and has been thrown out of practices, but he still remains in the lineup getting his minutes. Deng reportedly is upset about how much of a mess the team is and while Irving is the star player, he reportedly wants to leave when his contract is up and that would be another failure after the Cavaliers allowed LeBron James to leave Cleveland.
The Bynum move clearly did not work out for the Cavaliers and he now is with the Indiana Pacers after the Chicago Bulls acquired him and then cut him. Waiters is averaging 14.2 points this season in 28 minutes per game and he has been averaging just 12 points and two assists in his last 10 games and if he plays well heading into the deadline, expect the Cavaliers to move him.
For a time it was reported that the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers were in the running for Waiters, but that was before Deng was traded and that could mean that the Sixers are left as an option. The team has players to sell in Thaddeus Young and Evan Turner and reports say that Philly is motivated to deal Turner since they will not re-sign him. The two teams could swap disappointing picks, as Turner was a former number two overall selection, but that likely won't come until the deadline gets closer.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, the Sixers are shopping Turner but so far there have not been any takers for him or Spencer Hawes either. Hawes is set to be a free agent and he could end up moving as well and this comes after the Sixers traded Jrue Holiday to the Pelicans in the offseason.
