Cavs: Collin Sexton is a scorer first, and that’s quite alright for future

Collin Sexton is closing his rookie season in an outstanding way, and the Cleveland Cavaliers should be just fine in the near future with him looking to score first.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have to ultimately be pleased with the way Collin Sexton has improved in the second half of this season. We’ve touched on the scoring totals and shooting percentages (especially from three-point range) from the “Young Bull,” and the way he’s been able to put it all together post-All-Star break, it’s been a pleasure to watch, and one would think the organization has to take that into consideration when allowing him to have ample opportunities to prove he can be Cleveland’s long-term answer at point guard.

Just take a look at this last six-game stretch, where Sexton scored at least 23 points in every one of them, which has not been done by a Cavs rookie (that includes LeBron James) since Austin Carr way back in 1971-1972 (courtesy of the Cleveland Cavaliers).

For his last 15 games, Sexton has posted 20.6 points on 57.2 percent true shooting (including 43.5 percent on 5.7 three-point attempts), to go with 3.1 assists per game, according to NBA.com.

Yes, it’s fitting that Cleveland head coach, Larry Drew, called Sexton a “score-first point guard,” as Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor reported.

Cavs veteran, Channing Frye, also noted how the rookie is moving along nicely, and backed how the point guard is playing really well lately, and fits with the way the league is now in terms of point guards who are scoring first to then set up teammates after that, and is growing.

Frye doesn’t see a score-first lead guard having a bad connotation, either (again, as transcribed by Fedor).

"“Heck no,” he said. “Who’s a pass-first guard now? Then if he’s a pass-first guard he can’t shoot. I’ll take a shooter. I’ll take some scoring, obviously.”"

Sexton is still not getting great assist totals in recent games, but that’s perfectly fine, because he’s still initiating ball swings after penetration, and he’s making better decisions, such as pulling out the ball to get the Cleveland Cavaliers in better sets, and that’s what has to have the organization excited about what’s to come.

Drew’s play of the night in Cleveland’s win yesterday was a play by Sexton in which he penetrated, then dished to David Nwaba on the corner, who made the extra pass to Cedi Osman, who canned a huge three down the stretch against the Detroit Pistons, who are in the Eastern Conference postseason picture.

He detailed that postgame, per Fox Sports Ohio.

That’s why I’m so encouraged about Sexton being a key piece for the Cleveland Cavaliers for a long time. In today’s league, as Frye detailed, point guards have to be able to score in bunches, and Sexton’s three-point clip of 41.3 percent on the year may not be sustainable year-to-year, but he’s shown that when his feet are set, he can definitely knock shots in from downtown at a high rate.

Him continuing to work on that part of his game in the next few years will help him get into the teeth of the opposing defense, and the assist totals will probably increase incrementally from kicks to Cedi Osman, and potentially Kevin Love (among others).

The growth over the course of the season was shown in the closing moments against Detroit, as Drew mentioned postgame, per the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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As we’ve discussed, Sexton is only 20, and with the way he’s reportedly worked constantly to improve throughout the year, he should be given every opportunity over the next few seasons to be the long-term point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Drew highlighted how now, with the way Sexton has improved and is ready for crunch time scenarios, that he trusts the “Young Bull” in the closing moments (per Fedor).

"“As a coach you want those players to want those moments,” Drew said. “Cherish those moments, appreciate those moments. You want players to live for those moments. Collin has shown he’s not going to shy away from it. I don’t care how big the moment is. This guy, he embraces it. You don’t see a lot of rookies do that. You don’t see some veteran players do it. That’s just who he is. I have all the faith in the world as far as putting the ball in his hands in a crunch time situation.”"

This glowing endorsement has to give Sexton extra motivation to keep pushing going into the offseason. With his improved decision-making, he’s truly looked like a new player, and this sort of thing makes me even more excited about what’s to come from him in the coming years, and why I believe he can continue to grow as a passer, per the Cavs.

The Bull’s not looking quite as young anymore.

With better defensive building blocks around him and with a lineup that is healthier in the coming years, Sexton could improve his play in defending opposing point guards as well. That won’t be easy, but he has the work ethic to do it.