Dion Waiters Could Change Everything For Sixers

Numerous outlets, including Philly.com, have reported 23-year-old shooting guard Dion Waiters is interested in signing with the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer.

Waiters, although not a superstar, is a talented player with a lot of potential. Furthermore, Waiters could seriously change everything for the Sixers, and potentially speed up “The Process.”

Despite denying the rumors about wanting to sign with the Sixers, it’s not hard to understand why Waiters would want to make a LeBron-like move and go back home. He’s in Oklahoma City now and his family is in Philadelphia. Also, it’s possible Waiters denied the rumors because he–and his agent–didn’t want his current status on the Thunder to get murky.

There’s at the very least, some interest. Here’s what a source told Philly.com.

“Perhaps I’m just desperately craving a star guard, but Waiters really does have the chance to expedite ‘The Process.'”

“He wants to come home,” the source said, according to Keith Pompey. “Plus, he knows he could be the missing shooting guard they need. And he could possibly get a [very lucrative] contract from the Sixers.”

Forget being the missing two-guard the Sixers need; Waiters could prove to be the missing piece that could revitalize the entire franchise.

For the past few years, the Sixers have been a team where A) young, un-drafted players go to get an opportunity on a cheap contract, B) aging veterans go to get waived, and C) losses get accumulated quickly.

If Waiters were to sign with the hometown 76ers, he could start serve as the activist for change in The City of Brotherly Love. Waiters–unlike players such as Gerald Wallace, Jason Thompson, JaVale McGee and Andrei Kirilenko–is young with upside.

By seeing Waiters sign with the young and upcoming Sixers, other potential free agents might realize signing with Philadelphia is no longer signing up for a trip to obscurity. In a sense, Waiters could theoretically serve as a spokesperson for would-be 76ers in free agency. Veteran players who recognize the young talent on the Sixers could also be lured to the team, all because of Waiters’ decision.

Perhaps I’m just desperately craving a star guard, but Waiters really does have the chance to expedite “The Process.”

Aside from changing the atmosphere in Philly, signing Waiters would obviously improve the team.

Quite frankly, the Sixers are already improving, but it’s hard to tell whether the rest of the league is taking notice quite yet. Jahlil Okafor has exceeded expectations, Nerlens Noel has continued to improve, and T.J. McConnell has been arguably the best rookie PG in the entire league.

Acquiring Waiters would send Nik Stauskas to the bench, but that’s probably for the best. Stauskas has struggled immensely this year as a starter, but he can still play a significant role off the bench.

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One also has to figure Philadelphia will–once again–have another top pick in the upcoming draft, and they’ll likely have two, if the Lakers continue to implode.

So by this time next year, the Sixers lineup could look something like this: PG McConnell, SG Waiters, SF Robert Covington/a rookie, PF Noel, C Okafor and guys like Stauskas and–maybe, just maybe–Joel Embiid coming off the bench.

At this point, we really have to just wait and see, as it doesn’t seem like the Sixers will make a trade for Waiters. If the Syracuse alumnus decides to sign with Philadelphia in the summer, though, things could drastically change for the better.