[brid autoplay=”true” video=”816273″ player=”23231″ title=”Top%20NBA%20free%20agents%20of%202021″ duration=”53″ description=”Unlike last offseason, we’re going to see a ton of top end NBA free agents in 2021. Players like future Hall of Famers Kawhi Leonard and Chris Paul will likely opt out of their contracts and hit the open market.Meanwhile, there’s a large amount of talented youngsters set to become restricted free agents. That list includes Atlanta Hawks big man John Collins and Lonzo Ball of the New Orleans Pelicans.” uploaddate=”2021-06-29″ thumbnailurl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/thumb/816273_t_1624987441.png” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/sd/816273.mp4″]
Cleveland Cavaliers star young guard Collin Sexton is coming off a second consecutive season in which he averaged north of 20 points.
The ball-dominant 22-year-old excelled for an otherwise embarrassing team, averaging 24.3 points on a stellar 47% shooting from the field. Talk about efficiency.
Despite this, there’s now some talk that the bottom-feeding Cavaliers might look to trade Collin Sexton during the offseason.
“According to league sources, the Cavaliers have begun to explore trade options involving leading scorer Collin Sexton. Sexton, 22, is extension-eligible this summer,” Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated reported recently.
Let’s get this straight. Coming off a 22-50 season, the Cavaliers might look to trade a player who averaged more points per game than any member of the team since LeBron James was doing his thing back in 2017-18.
Bad organizations will continue to stay bad if they even consider moves of this ilk. With general manager Koby Altman rightfully on the hot seat, he might look to change things up midstream now that the Cavs are slated to pick No. 3 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. If so, here’s a look at four ideal Collin Sexton trade scenarios.
Collin Sexton trade to the Los Angeles Lakers
- Cavaliers get: Kyle Kuzma, 22nd pick, future second-round pick
- Lakers get: Collin Sexton
It’s not a secret that the Lakers are looking to upgrade from impending free agent Dennis Schroder at point guard after a disastrous performance from the veteran during the playoffs. Sexton wouldn’t merely act as an upgrade, he’d give the aging Lakers a young option to build around moving forward. It almost makes too much sense.
In return, Cleveland adds a potential building block of its own in the 25-year-old Kuzma. He’s a couple years removed from averaging nearly 19 points per game and would slide in at power forward next to Jarrett Allen and Isaac Okoro. This would also give the Cavs a second first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and an ability to find a guard to replace Sexton next to Darius Garland. Jalen Green or Jalen Suggs would be options at three.
Collin Sexton trade to the Los Angeles Clippers
- Cavaliers get: Terance Mann, Ivica Zubac
- Clippers get: Collin Sexton, future first-round pick
The emergence of Mann during the Clippers’ postseason run sets up a potential intriguing summer for the team. Assuming Kawhi Leonard returns and with Paul George playing out of his mind, adding a third “star” to the mix by using Mann as trade bait is no longer out of the realm of possibility. The 24-year-old wing would be coveted by a team like Cleveland as would Zubac, who is also just 24 and would slide in at center next to Jarrett Allen.
As for Los Angeles, the team has been in search of a point guard with both Leonard (prior to his injury) and George playing that part at times during the postseason. Sexton’s ability to score in the backcourt would also add another layer to the Clippers’ offense. It almost makes too much sense. It also doesn’t hurt that the Clippers get a future protected first-round pick given their lack of assets in that regard.
Collin Sexton trade to the New York Knicks
- Cavaliers get: Obi Toppin, future first-round pick
- Knicks get: Collin Sexton
To say that team president Leon Rose will be looking to make a blockbuster move for a star player after a surprising 2020-21 regular season would be an understatement. New York has building blocks in Most Improved Player Julius Randle and young wing R.J. Barrett. However, it has a major need in the backcourt. That’s where Collin Sexton could come into play. He’d team up with stud youngster Immanuel Quickley to form a solid pairing.
As for Cleveland, the struggling organization would add a former College Basketball Player of the Year and top-eight pick in Obi Toppin. He’d team up with Jarrett Allen and fellow former lottery pick Isaac Okoro in the frontcourt.
Collin Sexton trade to the Orlando Magic
- Cavaliers get: Wendell Carter Jr., eighth pick
- Magic get: Collin Sexton
Two struggling Eastern Conference teams in need of roster shake ups coming together to pull off a blockbuster trade. Stranger things have happened. Orlando will have two of the top-eight picks in the 2021 NBA Draft by virtue of the Nikola Vučević trade to the Chicago Bulls. In turn, it could use the Bulls’ selection as well as Carter Jr. to entice Cleveland.
From Orlando’s perspective, the idea of teaming Collin Sexton up with 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year candidate Cole Anthony in the backcourt has to be appealing. This scenario would include Markelle Fultz coming off the bench. Cleveland gets another big to go with Jarrett Allen and a second top-10 pick in the draft. It’s a win-win.