The Cleveland Cavaliers may need to draft a guard after all

Rumors are heating up over teams’ interests in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Collin Sexton.

There are some out there that feel Collin Sexton’s return to Cleveland isn’t a lock. The Cleveland Cavaliers are in need of retaining as much of their team as possible, mostly due to the fact that they were just inches away from the playoffs last year, and they very well may have been in had they been able to throw out a healthy Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio onto the court during the season.

The Spurs are reportedly very interested in Sexton, and here’s where I may get some grief, I like sports. I like sports beyond the Cleveland bubble. When it comes to the Cavs, I want my favorite players on the team. That said, Sexton is a great fit for San Antonio. They’ve whiffed on some of their more recent picks and like Cleveland, they aren’t a big free-agent destination. So a guy like Sexton would really make that offense more potent.

It’d also see him remain a starter next to DeJounte Murray, something that many in Cleveland don’t see happening with Sexton and the Cavs. The Cavs would be better with him back, only because you know he’s a reliable 15-20 points per game guy on good efficiency as long as he plays his game.

That said, if the Spurs or other teams are interested, the Cavs may not have much choice but to let him go, similar to the Chicago Bulls and Lauri Markkanen last year, who was in a similar situation last season, as Sexton is this season.

If the Cleveland Cavaliers lose Sexton, Malaki Branham would be in play

The Cavs should do everything they can, within reason, to bring back Sexton. If you have to pay him close to Jarrett Allen’s contract, I can live with that. It’s not ideal, but unless you can promise me a guy like Devin Booker or Luka Doncic to fill in for Sexton, re-signing him is the way to go. We already gave up Jamal Crawford once, let’s not do that again with a guy like Sexton, who could be the next Sixth Man Award winner.

That said, the Cavs may lose him. I wrote before that I didn’t like the prospect of Malaki Branham, as he was an undersized forward, who isn’t someone I would say is a proven commodity. I like his attitude, his team-first play, and his hustle, I just don’t think he’s a guarantee is all.

If the Cavs retain Sexton, they should look at a forward or even a center at No. 14, but if they lose Sexton, Branham has to be in play. Even if Ricky Rubio does return, Rubio isn’t a scorer like Sexton is. He’s a facilitator who plays both ways. He can get you some points but you want him surrounded by shooters.

Enter Branham.

The next few weeks will be interesting for Cavs fans.