Cavs Rumor: NBA executive thinks Collin Sexton could be moved

The Cavs may putCollin Sexton on the trading block this year.

Collin Sexton put up career highs in points per game, but despite that has only improved their standing by three wins since the year he was drafted. The Cavs finished with 19 wins in 2018-2019, 19 wins in 2019-2020, and 22 wins in 2020-2021. Sexton looks good in a boxscore, but the advanced metrics paint a story of an inefficient scorer, who plays no defense. He ranked fifth on the team in box plus-minus (BPM), and was 23rd (you read that right) in defensive box plus-minus. He had a -1.9, and a -2.0 is considered a “replacement level” for a player.

Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com that the Cavs guard could be on the move according to one NBA executive. The executive basically laid out the same issues we’ve been saying; Sexton is probably not worth a max contract and he’ll more than likely be perusing one. Not only that but the executive also brings up the cap hell the Cavs will be in by giving two $100 million contracts to Sexton and Jarrett Allen.

"An NBA executive suggested the Cavs could consider that because it’s a salary cap crusher to pay Allen and Sexton both long-term contracts over $100 million. This guy likes Sexton as a player, but not on a maximum contract.As I wrote last weekend, Sexton may want something like the five-year, $163 million deal Sacramento gave guard De’Aaron Fox in 2020. Their stats as similar. But is Sexton a maximum contract player simply because the Kings gave the money to Fox?Also, Garland has made major progress, but missed 18 games due to injury this season. He had knee surgery in the summer of 2019. Durability is an issue. I like Okoro and Garland for the future. Perhaps the Cavs could consider combining them with Allen (assuming he signs an extension) and explore the trade market for Sexton.Or else, they can simply wait another year on Sexton. He isn’t a restricted free agent until the summer of 2022."

Collin Sexton is a quagmire.

The rumor of trading of Collin Sexton is just that, a rumor. This is presumably another team’s GM talking to Pluto or another source and getting back to Cleveland. There’s no proof it’s true but there’s also no proof to say it’s not.

Facts are facts. The Cavs are not showing signs of improvement with Sexton being your best player. That’s not an indictment of him and his usefulness, but it’s becoming clear to a lot of people that Sexton works best as option two or three on a team. Maybe even as a sixth man. Collin Sexton is a valuable player. There’s this mentality that has cropped up, and it’s this belief that if a player is “good”, he’s good in all roles. That’s simply not true. Sexton cannot be your best scorer, as he limits his game predictably. Almost 80% of the time, you know he’s going to the rim. That’s not a good thing.

Sexton is a pure scorer. He demands the ball in his hand and that’s not a good thing for a player of his style. When you have the ball in your hand you have to incorporate the rest of the team. That, or score 30+ points a game. Sexton doesn’t pass often enough or take enough threes to hit 30 points. Not yet anyway.

Sexton’s role would be best served as the number one option off the bench with the second unit. He could score all day and the others could play defense and maybe drop the occasional three-pointer. In the current role he’s in, he’s expected to do more than that. Unless he learns to be a better off-ball player, who can stretch the court far more than he does, Sexton just isn’t worth $100 million.

Now the Cavs may pay it, and if the team remains as is, Sexton will likely average more points. That isn’t a sign that he’s great, it’s a sign that he’s on a bad team.

It would be great to keep Sexton. It’d be even better to just make the playoffs, though. If he’s a roadblock to doing so, then move on from him. If he’s the reason you can get to the playoffs, pay him.

It’s not complicated.