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Collin Sexton Trade Rumors: Cavaliers PG 'Very Available,' Max Contract Unlikely

Mike Chiari

The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly willing to part with guard Collin Sexton on the trade market as the offseason approaches.

According to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, sources have said Sexton is "very available," and the Cavs aren't expected to offer him a max contract extension.

Lloyd suggested it is possible the Cavaliers could pair Sexton with veteran big man Kevin Love in a trade to make it more palatable for teams to take on Love's contract.

The 22-year-old Sexton has been a highly productive player since the Cavs selected him with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft.

After averaging a solid 16.7 points per game as a rookie, he upped it to 20.8 points per game in his second season. Sexton then set new career highs across the board during the 2020-21 campaign.

In 60 games, Sexton averaged 24.3 points, 4.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 1.6 three-pointers made and 1.0 steal. He also shot 47.5 percent from the field, 37.1 percent from beyond the arc and 81.5 percent from the free-throw line.

The Cavs went just 22-50 and were once again among the worst teams in the NBA, but Sexton was clearly their best player, which is why it is somewhat surprising that Cleveland may be willing to move on from its young star already.

Cleveland has the opportunity to control Sexton for an extended period of time, as he is under contract for next season before becoming a restricted free agent.

If the Cavaliers do trade Sexton, it could be a sign that they are high on Darius Garland, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

Garland enjoyed a strong 2020-21 season in his own right, averaging 17.4 points, 6.1 assists, 2.4 rebounds, 1.9 three-pointers made and 1.2 steals, while shooting 45.1 percent from the floor and 39.5 percent from deep.

While Garland hasn't been quite as productive of a scorer as Sexton, he is a better playmaker and may be the best fit for what the Cavs want to do at point guard.

The Cavaliers own the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, and moving Sexton could give them more options in terms of what they want to do with that selection.

Trading away Sexton would also conceivably net the Cavs more trade capital, which could aid their rebuilding process.

While moving a player with the offensive upside of Sexton is something that could come back to haunt the Cavaliers, further developing Garland and hitting on the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft would go a long way toward mitigating any concerns.

   

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