Cleveland Cavaliers' Guard Dion Waiters Accepts Bench Role, But Locked In National Anthem Race Row With NBA Fans

David Blatt and LeBron James both often said before the season that this year, the NBA would see the best of Dion Waiters, but it's been a slow start. The guard has now accepted that his bench role is what's best for the team, and LeBron has added to that view, too. On top of that, he's been locked in a National Anthem race row with some fans, and he's hit out at those who tried to blast him for supposedly staying in the locker room during the anthem. What will happen with Waiters and the Cleveland Cavaliers?

James explained, saying, "For the best of the team, that should be Dion's role. Dion comes off the bench and brings us that scoring mentality but more than that, he brings us another defender off the bench, which we need. Someone that's tough, someone that can guard one through three. It's a new role, but it's a good role for him."

Did Waiters disagree? Nope, he agreed, saying, "I got to do whatever I got to do for the better of the team. If it's starting, if it's coming off the bench, if it's the water boy, I got to do it. Whatever is best for the team." His coach agreed, saying, "I thought he had a terrific game today, and I told him so in the locker room. Because he came in and did exactly what we needed him to do from the bench: Score the ball, he played hard and right."

However, Waiters has explained why he missed the national anthem, saying, "It's because of my religion. That's why I stayed in the locker room. I don't really want to talk about that. It's my religion. I don't really want to talk about that. I want to talk about basketball. I'm not being rude, but, you know."

Will Waiters and the Cavaliers settle down this season?