August is here, and the Cleveland Cavaliers still haven’t gotten closer to getting Collin Sexton to agree to a new contract.
The team has offered him a deal worth $40 million over three years, but Sexton thinks he’s worth more than that, perhaps in the $20 million per year range.
The fan base seems divided on whether he is actually deserving of that big of a contract.
I'm not the biggest Collin Sexton fan but 3 years, $40-million is insulting.
I get the ACL tear but 20+ point scorers don't grow on trees:
Y1: 17-3-3 on 44-40-84 (82 games)
Y2: 21-3-3 on 47-38-85 (65)
Y3: 24-3-4 on 48-37-82 (60)
Y4: 16-3-2 on 45-24-74 (11)Bet on yourself 💪 pic.twitter.com/D7rbWGNIBB
— The Front Office (@NBASkoolOfThort) July 24, 2022
Collin Sexton should just take the QO and ball out
— SENS are BACK (@Callin_Sextin) August 2, 2022
One of the reasons Sexton wants so much money is because he sees himself as a bona fide starter in the NBA.
Collin Sexton reportedly sees himself as a starting two guard in the NBA, per ESPN pic.twitter.com/RxX7DAqU5x
— Cavaliers Nation (@WeAreCavsNation) August 1, 2022
He is certainly a very good player, as he’s a skilled scorer and ball-handler who can put the ball in the hoop efficiently and give his team a boost.
However, if Sexton wants to stay in The Land, he’ll likely have to accept a slightly lesser role in order to help the team reach its potential.
Sexton Has Proven Something The Last Few Years
The Georgia native has certainly shown that he was worthy of being a lottery pick back in 2018.
The Cavs obtained the pick they used to take him, which was eighth overall, in the Kyrie Irving trade the previous summer.
He averaged 16.7 points as a rookie while shooting 40.2 percent from 3-point range, and he has steadily improved ever since.
In the 2020-21 season, Sexton put up 24.3 points a game on a strong 57.3 true shooting percentage.
He has been criticized for having too much tunnel vision when he has the ball in his hands, but that season, he improved his passing, averaging 4.4 assists per game compared to 3.0 the year before.
This past season, he suffered a torn meniscus in his knee and only played in 11 contests as a result.
Some have surmised that his injury is one reason why he hasn’t gotten an offer he loves.
Sexton has also received tepid interest from other teams around the league, although a new report says the Washington Wizards may want to take a nibble.
If another squad doesn’t give Sexton the money he’s demanding, he may have no choice but to stay in Cleveland.
Sexton Will Likely Have To Take One For The Team
Darius Garland is the Cavs’ newest star, and he is already being discussed as one of the best point guards in the league.
Although Sexton isn’t a true point guard, he’s only 6-foot-1, which prevents him from being able to play much shooting guard.
Starting him alongside Garland would give Cleveland two guards who are lacking defensively, and with the team emerging as a defensive juggernaut, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff will be unlikely to green-light such a decision.
That would mean Sexton would have to be a sixth man for the Cavs, and it wouldn’t necessarily be a demotion, as he would still play a key role while getting almost as much playing time as he has.
It’s hard for a young, developing player like Sexton who is a borderline star to accept such a sacrifice, and it just may drive him out of town if some other teams is smitten enough.
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