The Cleveland Cavaliers, winners of just 40 games over the last two NBA seasons, have reason to be optimistic as training camp kicks off this year. Reigning Rookie of the Year point guard Kyrie Irving is a budding superstar, and the team has surrounded Irving with a solid core of young talent, including second-year man Tristan Thompson and 2012 draft picks Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller. Irving has even been so bold as to predict a playoff berth for the Cavs this season.
Speaking of Waiters, there was initial concern over the rookie's conditioning. Those fears were apparently overblown. Via Sam Amico of FoxSports Ohio:
That seemed to be the concern among most fans, and they can stop worrying. [Waiters] conditioning is no longer an issue.
It's too early to tell how good Waiters will be right away, but here's what we think we know: He's a streaky shooter from the perimeter, he can get to the basket practically at will, and as coach Byron Scott said, "he can go over the top" of defenders once there. Overall, he's looking pretty good.
Waiters averaged 12.6 points per game for Jim Boeheim's Syracuse Orange last season, and was fifth in the Big East in steals, with 67.
Cleveland begins their preseason schedule with a matchup against Montepaschi Siena on Monday night, Oct. 8, at the Q. Siena is the reigning Italian League Serie A Champion.