Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith are both thriving in the playoffs

On January 5, 2015, the Cleveland Cavaliers were on the road to face the Philadelphia 76ers. For Dion Waiters, it was supposed to be a big homecoming game. He was in the starting lineup in his hometown with a bunch of family and friends in attendance and went through pre-game introductions before being pulled aside by Cavs; official Raja Bell.

The Cavs, as Waiters was about to find out at the worst possible time, had made a three-team deal that would send Waiters to the Oklahoma City Thunder with J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert coming to Cleveland and picks heading to the Knicks.

The Waiters trade had probably been coming a while before it actually went down. From the day he was drafted out of Syracuse, Waiters never really seemed to fit in Cleveland. He flashed some serious potential but didn’t mesh well with Kyrie Irving, another ball-dominant guard, partially because he was trying to do much and partially because he was too hard-headed to realize it. When LeBron came back to Cleveland, Waiters was then pushed into an auxiliary role where he needed to catch-and-shoot instead of driving with the ball in his hands. His role — which he never really accepted — made him a running joke, destined to live in infamy courtesy of a six second loop.

How Waiters ended his time in Cleveland — and his repeated calls for the ball — sum up his time in Cleveland perfectly. He was never really embraced and sent out in the most awkward way possible. And when he left, he didn’t hear from anyone other than Irving and Tristan Thompson. There was no contact from LeBron after the trade. Without a thought, Waiters was cut out. The Cavs, of course, went on to make the Finals with their new acquisitions.

When Waiters arrived in Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant was asked about Waiters and incorporating him into their culture. His answer was simple.

“We’re gonna make him feel wanted,” Durant said per The Oklahoman. “I don’t think he felt that the last couple years. He’s gonna fit in well. He’s gonna get comfortable real quick. It’s on the leaders — Russell, myself, Nick — to make him feel at home and feel special and let him play his game.”

In that same trade, J.R. Smith was caught a bit off guard too. As he tells it, he was sitting in the Knicks locker room prepping for a game when Iman Shumpert told him that they’d been traded to the Cavs.

Smith, understandably, was a little surprised and not particularly happy about the move. Cleveland is a great city, but it’s not New York. Plus, Smith is a close friend of Carmelo Anthony and he’d been part of a Knicks roster that wasn’t too far removed from being one the Eastern Conference’s better teams.

For the Cavs, Smith was something of a tax to get Shumpert. Smith hadn’t been shooting well prior to the trade and Shumpert, while hurt, seemed like the type of athletic wing the Cavs really needed next to LeBron. Smith was just a guy the Cavs had to take on in order to get Shumpert.

In Cleveland, though, was LeBron. When no other team wanted to deal with Smith, LeBron vouched for him and pushed to bring him to Cleveland. Seeing a guy who could shoot and had obvious talent, LeBron rolled the dice.

Now, it seems as if LeBron and the Cavs basically rolled double sixes in landing Smith who seems a little less like the spacey, wild J.R. famous for sliding into DMs and partying hard. For this version of Smith, the change was a net positive and he was essential to the Cavs’ run to the NBA Finals last year.

“You would never go out and party on this team,” Smith told GQ this past fall. “Once you’re on a team like this, you’re just so locked in. When you see someone like LeBron in the gym around the clock? Usually it’s the guys who want to get better so they can get more playing time who are always in the gym. But if you’ve got four MVPs, two championships, two Finals MVPs…”

When Smith talks about LeBron, he seems serious and seems aware of who he’s playing with. This is Smith that rarely exists and maybe hasn’t before now.

A year and half later, both Waiters and Smith are in the thick of the playoff race. Waiters has been a key, dynamic piece for the Thunder as they look ready to take down the Golden State Warriors. On offense, he’s shooting off ball and driving just enough to make this defender work. On defense, he’s giving Westbrook a break on Curry and doing as well about as one would expect. On the over side of the bracket, Smith has been really good for the Cavs all year — he shot 40 percent from three during the regular season and as of Monday was shooting 47.6 percent during the playoffs. He’s also been decent on defense, not trying to do too much, and filling a very specific role. Think the 2012-13 J.R. Smith that won Sixth Man of the Year, only a little more refined.

For Waiters, he’s really only emerged in the playoffs. Oklahoma City trusted him because they sort of had to, but it’s paid off. He’s their best option on both ends between Durant and Westbrook now that the Warriors are fully ignoring Andre Roberson on offense. As he’s always sort of done, he’s playing with a bit of irrational confidence but now it’s working. It may not last — Waiters’ whole career has been one of extremes, really — but in this moment he has been the best version of himself, driving up the prices of condos on his island with every slam that energizes the Thunder crowd. 

The success of Smith and Waiters doesn’t mean that either player has been perfect or that their warts have been totally removed. Smith, for instance, was roasted on defense down the stretch of the Cavaliers’ loss in Game 4 and there are moments where it’s fair to wonder if his shooting is enough to keep him on the floor late. As for Waiters, he still at times tries to do a bit too much when he’s playing between Durant and Westbrook. And, yes, he still obnoxiously calls for the ball when he’s way over on the other side of the court.

These flaws may never really go away; all role players have them under the right light. But because of where they ended up, both Waiters and Smith are thriving unexpectedly being moved in the same deal about a year and a half ago. Once mocked, both are thriving in situations with stars that want them to succeed.