Knicks Rumors: Pros and Cons of potentially signing Dion Waiters

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MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 28: Dion Waiters #11 of the Miami Heat drives on Jeremy Lamb #3 of the Charlotte Hornets during a game at American Airlines Arena on October 28, 2016 in Miami, Florida.(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Pro: Isolation Offense

Ball movement and motion offenses have begun to take precedence over hero ball and isolation infatuation. True as that may be, every team needs a player who can consistently break opponents down in isolation.

Waiters checks that box as one of the better isolation scorers in the NBA—based off of an admittedly small sample size of 2016-17, that is.

Waiters finished the 2016-17 season at No. 12 in the Association in isolation points per game. Waiters also cracked the Top 25 in points via drives per game, which is a sign of his ability to create penetration and finish in the paint.

It’s also worth noting that Waiters finished 2016-17 at No. 2 in the NBA in passes off of drives and tied for No. 1 in assists via drives per game.

Those numbers are a sign of Waiters’ ability to not only score on the drive, but kick the ball out to his shooters. That perfectly fits the offense that Jeff Hornacek ran with the Phoenix Suns, where driving and dishing is a primary emphasis.

The New York Knicks need a player who can drive the lane and create in isolation, and Waiters fits the bill of what’s currently missing.