Cavs: 3 players who should replace the injured Collin Sexton

Cavs’ guard Collin Sexton is down with a torn meniscus in his knee.

The Cavs saw an unfortunate sight on Sunday against the Knicks when Collin Sexton went down with an injury. A follow-up report claims that Sexton tore the meniscus in his knee and will be sidelined indefinitely for the foreseeable future as he recovers. Thankfully for Sexton, a torn meniscus is far from the worst injury he could suffer and he should return mostly to full strength.

The only problem is that this type of injury can usually take two months to completely recover from, so the Cavaliers may not see him back until the All-Star game, which he’ll likely not be attending as a player, despite it being in Cleveland.

The bright side to this issue, while Sexton was leading the team in scoring, his output has been way down from 2020-2021, and the Cavaliers have become a far more balanced team in 2021. His loss may be hard to deal with but it’s no longer the death nail it would’ve been in previous seasons. The Cavs still have hope to compete, and there are potential options to replace Sexton’s minutes.

Three Cavs players who can see more time with Collin Sexton out

Ricky Rubio

This seems like a no-brainer but with how good Ricky Rubio has been playing since the summer Olympics, it makes sense to put him in the starting lineup next to Darius Garland. Doing so replaces Collin Sexton in the lineup and does so with a player who can score from all levels. With Garland shooting 48% from the floor and 45% from three so far this season, you can move the ball from Garland to Rubio and let Garland take over Sexton’s usual spot on the floor.

Dylan Windler

If you want to keep Rubio on the bench to play the Manu Ginobili role for the Cavs, Dylan Windler makes all the sense in the world. He’s only averaging four points per game but he’s shooting 55% from the floor and 50% from three-point land. Inflated percentages to be sure, but he’s clearly showing the possibility of being a viable option to contribute, even if it’s just for a month or two.

Kevin Pangos

Another option is Kevin Pangos, who has yet to play any meaningful minutes so far this season. The former Euro League star is looking for an opportunity and Sexton’s bum knee may just give him that opportunity to step up and deliver in the interim. Whether it’s off the bench or in the starting lineup, Pangos could be a player that allows the team to keep their current rotations and not disrupt the chemistry and rhythm the team has developed.