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5 things that must happen for Collin Sexton to win Rookie of the Year

By Doug Patrick

TARRYTOWN, NY - AUGUST 12: Collin Sexton #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers poses for a portrait during the 2018 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on August 12, 2018 at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
TARRYTOWN, NY - AUGUST 12: Collin Sexton #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers poses for a portrait during the 2018 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on August 12, 2018 at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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INDEPENDENCE, OH – JUNE 22: General manager Koby Altman and head coach Tyronn Lue of the Cleveland Cavaliers introduce Collin Sexton during a press conference on June 22, 2018 at the Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDEPENDENCE, OH – JUNE 22: General manager Koby Altman and head coach Tyronn Lue of the Cleveland Cavaliers introduce Collin Sexton during a press conference on June 22, 2018 at the Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. Collin Sexton must stay confident.

There’s a chance that running in transition backfires and makes him look like a worse passer. While the fast break can open up the floor, it can also make things messy and confusing for ball handlers, especially rookie ones against savvy NBA-level defenders.

Performing well will be contingent on Sexton’s ability to remain confident. And for Sexton, I’d bet he maintains the same relentlessness that earned him his Young Bull nickname.

He will need to constantly see red and play with purpose. In the break, if he shows hesitation, experienced defenders may calculate the rookie’s moves for easy turnovers.

4. Jordan Clarkson cannot eat up point guard minutes.

Oh, Jordan Clarkson. Perhaps the most well-known Cavs player that no one wants to talk about following his notorious postseason collapse.

But Clarkson will certainly still play this year. At only 26, there is still lots left in the tank, and Clarkson may still have room to develop. It would be silly to keep him benched.

However, it would be even sillier to opt for Clarkson at point guard over Sexton.

George Hill likely has the starting job for now, and it could be alluring to give Clarkson minutes behind him rather than at shooting guard since there are many other players that could get minutes there: Cedi Osman, Rodney Hood, Korver and Smith.

But to make Sexton the third point guard on the depth chart could severely limit his playing time. For an aggressive player like him, he would probably be best served to get plenty of reps at the NBA level to find his rhythm and hone which parts of his game work.

Moreover, Sexton is only 6-foot-2. And this is an NBA 6-foot-2 (his hair and shoes are included). Though Sexton isn’t under Isaiah Thomas or Tyler Ulis levels of small, he lacks the size to be effective guarding taller backcourt players.

At 6-foot-5, Clarkson possesses more positional versatility. He does not need to play point guard and may actually be best as an off-ball isolation player—someone Cleveland can throw the ball to when their system is not working, a la poor man’s Kyrie Irving when playing alongside LeBron.

Clarkson should get minutes to redeem himself from May and June.

He can still be a productive scorer in the league and his shooting 35.2 percent on three-pointers last year shows he could potentially play alongside Sexton too as a threat from outside and secondary ball handler.

However, that’s all Clarkson should be on this Cavs team going forward: a secondary ball handler.

Sexton needs those point guard minutes much more than Clarkson does.