Conventional wisdom says the Cleveland Cavaliers stepped way out onto a ledge when the selected Syracuse guard Dion Waiters with the No. 4 overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft, so it's natural that the focus during the preseason is on what Byron Scott thinks the rookie's role will be this season.
Waiters recently struggled during his second preseason appearance when he posted an awful line of two points on 1-of-7 shooting and four turnovers in 14 minutes against the Milwaukee Bucks, and that moment presented the first real test of his professional career. Byron Scott called out Waiters for a "lack of focus" in his performance on Tuesday night, via The News-Herald:
"I told him, ‘You're going to have to earn it.' He's trying every day. The last game, we had a lack of focus. You just can't forget plays when you come from the bench and then not execute it on the floor. He's not the first and won't be the last. I expect him to be a heck of a basketball player."
The young combo guard apparently failed to execute a play drawn up by Scott coming out of a timeout during the game against the Bucks. Waiters later said that he accepts "full blame" for the error and that he wants "tough love" from his head coach.
He will get a chance to redeem himself when the Cavaliers take on the Chicago Bulls on Friday night at 8 p.m. ET.
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