Cavs: Collin Sexton isn’t a $100 million player, yet

Collin Sexton hasn’t proven to the Cavs that he’s worth $100 million, yet.

The Cavs made a couple of big signings this offseason with Jarrett Allen and Lauri Markkanen each getting huge new four-year deals, with Allen signing for $100 million. Markkanen for $67 million. Both big men have been vital in the Cavs’ two wins so far. The team is looking good, especially over the last two games (both wins). Collin Sexton was expected by many to get an offer that would be close to the figure Allen got. The Cavs opted against that, and instead, Sexton will play out the final year of his contract and head into restricted free agency.

The Cavs could lose Sexton but more than likely they’ll match whatever he’s offered, with the idea that it’ll be greatly under the max offer possible. This way the Cavs can simply say, “The market paid you less, not us.”

This is actually a solid move, as Sexton was looking for that $ 100 million extension that Allen got, but was ultimately turned down.

The Cavs made the right call not giving Collin Sexton $100 million

The Cavs made the right call so far in not giving Sexton $100 million. He simply hasn’t done anything on the same level as Allen. Allen has been wrecking teams offensively and is shooting over 80% from the floor. Sexton’s three-point shooting percentage is so far down from last season, and offensively he’s posted three sub-20 point games in four outings. If it wasn’t for his 33 point performance, he’d be averaging just 14.3 points so far this year.

Made even worse by the fact that in games where he scores less than 17 points, the Cavs are 2-0.

Let me advocate for Sexton, again, because people sometimes need to have things explained out for them in greater detail; I want Sexton on the Cavaliers. He’s a very good talent. The issue isn’t whether I think he’s good or not (he is), it’s whether I think he’s $20-25 million a year good. I don’t. In my mind, he’s that far off from Allen in money per year. Somewhere in the $15-17 million range per year is what would be a good price.

The problem is giving him five years at $20 million when he hasn’t proven to be a difference-maker just yet. He’s had zero playoff appearances, no winning record, his VORP is still pretty bad, and his +/- and RAPTOR scores are not great.

The Cavs need him, but he isn’t irreplaceable and he needs to understand that. He might one day be a $100 million player but that day isn’t today.