For proper development, Collin Sexton should be paired with George Hill

The Cleveland Cavaliers filled an immediate need in drafting a playmaker in Collin Sexton, but keeping George Hill around to help him develop a more all-around game would be a sound move.

It’s not easy to break into the NBA as a lead guard, no matter how talented you are. When you potentially factor in playing on a team with Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James in your rookie season, it’s even harder with all the added pressure.

Collin Sexton is a talented player, considering he was second in the South Eastern Conference (SEC) in points per game, led the conference in usage rate, and led to him pacing the conference in total points produced per game (per Sports Reference).

The youngster is a solid bucket-getter via drives and getting to the charity stripe, but his vision and shooting stroke leaves plenty to be desired, as other KJG writers (namely Robbie DiPaola and Quenton Albertie) have demonstrated recently.

That’s why Cleveland should keep Hill, a lower usage combo guard, on the roster to show the kid the ropes a bit. Hill has never really been a high-assist player or high-volume shooter, but he’s been around the block.

At times, he’s been a primary playmaker, a secondary playmaker, a three-and-D, and played in a number of postseason games. He’s been mentored by the likes of Tony Parker and Gregg Popovich, to name a few, and he’s been a productive two-way player when healthy.

Not too long ago, Hill had a very good year with the Utah Jazz in 2016-17, with a career-high 16.9 points and 4.2 assists per game. Like Hill when he’s been at his best, Sexton also projects as a very good defender against opposing point guards.

These two players are good complements for each other, which in turn helps the overall complexion of the team, and that’s the case whether or not LeBron stays at least one more season.

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Sexton projects as a player who will need the ball in his hands to make plays which is fine, whereas Hill has always been more capable of being an off-ball contributor that can produce via spot-ups or cuts, and is historically a low-turnover rate player.

The question becomes whether or not the Cavs will trade the pairing to the Charlotte Hornets for a package headlined by two-time All-Star Kemba Walker and wing Nicolas Batum (who has four years left on a $120 million deal), as KJG’s Nathan Beighle touched on.

Charlotte has been linked to wanting a young point guard, such as Sexton, with the possibility of Walker not being around, as he has just one year left on his contract.

"“This perfectly set up the Cleveland Cavaliers to deal Sexton, Hill, and Tristan Thompson for Walker and Batum, getting Cleveland their star while clearing Charlotte of a long and unneeded contract.For Charlotte they replenish their frontcourt, get their desired guard in Sexton, and take on Hill’s contract. Hill, who signed a huge contract last offseason, is due to just $1 million in his last contractual season, the 2019-2020 season.”"

Beighle broke down how Charlotte swapped point guard prospect Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for forward Miles Bridges and two future second-round picks. Nonetheless, they would appear to be on the market for a rookie playmaker, and perhaps a veteran guard to mentor that rookie ball-handler (such as Hill).

A Cleveland-Charlotte deal still seems like a legitimate possibility, as it would be mutually beneficial. Sexton is not an immediate replacement for Kyrie Irving, and I would think he would even say that himself.

Whether a deal happens or not, for Sexton’s rookie development, it would really help him if a veteran two-way/low turnover perimeter presence such as Hill was able to show him the ropes of how to approach NBA point guard competition.

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A career 38.3 percent three-point shooter might improve Sexton’s perimeter shot, too.