Three Potential Collin Sexton Trade Scenarios

Cleveland Cavaliers’ third-year guard, Collin Sexton, has been at the center of offseason trade talks following a disappointing 22-50 season.

Sexton was a bright spot despite the team’s poor fortune, averaging 24.3 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game. A former player for the Alabama Crimson Tide, the “Young Bull” had been heralded since his high school days and was given high expectations after the Cavs drafted him eighth overall in 2018.

Although he has posted impressive numbers in the box score, Sexton’s on-court play has not led to team success, and reports have indicated that his teammates have become frustrated with his selfish style. As a result, potential suitors have begun to line up for the 6-foot-1 22-year-old.

Here are three of the most intriguing and feasible trade scenarios for Sexton that could happen before next season.

Miami Heat trade Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn for Sexton

The Miami Heat have been looking to bolster their roster ever since they acquired Jimmy Butler a couple of offseasons ago; their headlining co-act is Victor Oladipo, though they have previously been in the market for LaMarcus Aldridge, Bradley Beal, and now Sexton.

The Cavs’ guard would fit perfectly with Miami’s tough and aggressive culture and would not have to carry the burden of being the team’s number-one every night, with three proven All-Stars surrounding him in the starting five.

Nunn and Herro would be able to play more minutes in Cleveland than they have been in Miami and are both young with untapped potential. Neither is the level of player that Sexton is, but they have both been to the NBA Finals already and are mature in their approach to the game.

New York Knicks trade Kevin Knox II, Frank Ntilikina, and Elfrid Payton for Sexton

The Knicks have been hunting for a big-name free agent to prop up their brand ever since Carmelo Anthony skipped town. Sexton is still young and does not have the biggest brand, but he has gone viral on social media before and could evolve into one of the faces of the team.

Sexton’s relentless style of play would be a perfect match with head coach Tom Thibodeau and fellow guard RJ Barrett, which would give the Knicks an incredibly talented and youthful backcourt. The guards in the trade package would both be missed, though Derrick Rose has shown that he is one of the best sixth men in the league and could fill the void; the Knicks have been trying to get off of Knox for some time, and his absence would go unnoticed.

Unlike Miami’s offer, the players in this trade would not become guiding pillars for the future, but they could continue as impactful role players in a team that, if it could land an All-Star caliber player in free agency or the draft, could become competitive as a lower-seeded playoff team.

Oklahoma City Thunder trade Hamidou Diallo, Darius Bazley, and two first-round picks for Sexton

This deal would hinge upon the Thunder also being able to find a trade for Kemba Walker, who they recently acquired in a trade for Al Horford. At 31-years old, Walker offers little to a team that has no immediate postseason aspirations and is a couple of years away from being competitive again; bringing in Sexton to partner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort would transform OKC into a franchise with fun and exciting wings that can all play high-level basketball.

Assuming a deal for Walker would go through, the Thunder would be able to add impact players at power forward and center to complement their young talent. Sexton and SGA are not known as knock-down shooters, and neither is they especially adept at catch-and-shoot scenarios, but they knocked down 37.1 percent and 41.8 percent of their threes this year, respectively. They would find a way to work with each other sooner or later and would be a force in the backcourt.

This deal makes sense for the Cavs too, because it provides them with two draft assets, which the Thunder have plenty to spare and would not mind parting ways with, and two young players that have both impressed in increasing amounts. This trade would play more towards the long game but could be the most effective of the three if it goes through.