Cleveland Cavaliers vs New York Knicks

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James high fives teammate Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters in the first quarter against the New York Knicks. (Joshua Gunter / The Plain Dealer) October 30, 2014 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland

(Joshua Gunter)

CLEVELAND, Ohio – After Saturday's practice at The Q, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dion Waiters was in a familiar place but in a different scene.

In preparation for Sunday's game versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, which will be Waiters' first game against his former team, the Thunder practiced on the fourth level of the arena in a petite practice gymnasium.

Waiters was all smiles as he greeted the media to talk about his transition.

"I'm blessed because I went from a great organization to another great organization where I know I can learn to become a better player," he said.

Waiters said he has only spoken to Tristan Thompson and Kyrie Irving via text since the trade went down that shipped him to OKC in three-team swap that landed J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert in Cleveland.

He has had no communication with LeBron James. The All-Star has not called nor sent a text. Northeast Ohio Media Group asked Waiters if he would have preferred if James gave him a ring.

"Man, he had his chance to reach out," Waiters told NEOMG. "I'm not losing any sleep."

Waiters had his ups and downs with the Cavaliers throughout his three-year tenure. On a team expected to contend for a title, there was very little time for Waiters to find his way. He's a ball-dominant guard on a team which already featured two of the best ball dominant players in James and Irving.

He couldn't adjust properly to being a catch-and-shoot player and Cleveland needed consistent production.

"Both teams are doing great," he said. "[We're both] winning. Everybody seems at ease now and that's what it's about."

James said during the preseason that Waiters would be the scapegoat if things didn't go as planned with this team and to a certain extent, he was right. But Waiters couldn't have cared less about the critics.

"That's what comes with it, man," Waiters said. "I've been through more fire than that before, man. I've been through tougher times than that so that's nothing to me. I didn't really care what nobody said. It didn't affect me. I slept good every night."

As for going up against the team that drafted him with the No.4 pick in 2012 NBA Draft, he doesn't appear to be overly excited nor anxious.

"It's a regular game to me," he said. "I don't feel no type of way. I feel good actually."

He has no regrets, saying he's not one who dwells in the past. He's looking forward to the task at hand with OKC.

Waiters said he's in a happy place and he complimented both organizations for making the move that he says worked out for everybody. The only issue he had was with how the trade was executed.

On Jan. 5 Waiters was getting the start against the 76ers in his hometown of Philadelphia. He went through the starting lineup introductions and immediately after, Raja Bell, the team's Director of Player Administration, pulled Waiters to the side and told him the news.

Family and friends in attendance at Wells Fargo Center were puzzled as to why rookie Joe Harris was starting the game off.

"I would have liked to have played in Philly," he said. "We don't get a chance to go to Philly with this team. I didn't really care about getting traded, I just wanted to play home in front of my family and friends, go out there and have fun for the last time and I didn't have a chance to do that. That's the only thing that I didn't like, but everything else I was fine with."

Knowing Waiters like I do, he's going to be pumped for Sunday's game. He has a lot to prove. Does he hold a grudge towards a particular player? You be the judge.

"I was that guy who people pointed the finger at," he said. "I was fine with it. I could take it. I didn't have no pressure on me."