Cavs: Prediction from The Athletic is right on the mark about Collin Sexton

There should be no more questions about Collin Sexton’s three-point shooting capability for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Through his first two seasons, Collin Sexton has had a three-point shooting clip of 39.2 percent for the Cleveland Cavaliers. That’s related to him having hit 40.2 percent in year 1, followed up by him hitting 38.0 percent in year 2.

While during most of his first season Sexton did seem hesitant to just let catch-and-shoot three-point attempts go, even when they he plenty of air space, post-All-Star break then, Sexton cleared that up. And in his second season, Sexton did not hesitate in relation to letting catch-and-shoot triple attempts fly, and that was really nice to see.

Sexton hit 42.1 percent of his catch-and-shoot triples in year 2, per NBA.com’s shot tracking data, and still hit a solid 35.0 percent on pull-up three-point attempts as well.

So to me, while we’ll still see Sexton score it at all three levels, especially with the change of pace he showed off-the-bounce in 2019-20, and the volume will likely hover around 4.2 or so attempts per contest, one thing is abundantly clear now. Collin Sexton is a highly capable three-point shooter.

In that regard, a recent prediction from The Athletic was right on the mark involving Sexton’s deep shooting for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In a recent piece from The Athletic‘s Kelsey Russo (subscription required), she gave ten bold/not so bold predictions for the Cavs next season, and one I figured I’d highlight here as one that definitely jumped out.

That one was Russo hitting on how she believes Sexton will knock down “40 percent” from three-point range in year 3. Russo would also essentially point out how Collin is such a tireless worker, and from my perspective, this prediction was right on the mark for Sexton for next season.

Sexton, who of course led the Cleveland Cavaliers in scoring in 2019-20, knocked in 44.4 percent of his attempts in his last 33 games of this now-past season. Leading into the novel coronavirus-induced hiatus, we were seeing Sexton really lighting it up from deep, as Russo also alluded to.

So from my viewpoint, with next season in mind, it’s evident that with how Sexton closed next season from three-point territory, Russo’s prediction is right on the mark. Honestly, him hitting in the 42.0 percent range doesn’t seem out of the question, either, and I guess that’d align with Russo’s take, if that’d be considered in that realm/with her take as the benchmark.

I’d expect Sexton to get his share of feeds in that regard from the likes of Darius Garland, who did show real playmaking growth as his rookie year progressed, to go with feasibly Kevin Porter Jr., Kevin Love and Larry Nance Jr., among others.

Plus, Dylan Windler, who I’d imagine should be mostly healthy next season with him reportedly participating in current Cavs individual workouts/to-be in-market bubble team workouts, should aid Sexton as a perimeter shooter as well.

Windler, who could very well be a knockdown shooter, could aid Sexton via floor spacing for pull-up triples at times, and Windler is a highly capable passer that could generate quality spot-up looks from deep for Sexton, too.

I’d imagine that a potential Cavs draft selection of Auburn’s Isaac Okoro or Deni Avdija of the I-BSL’s Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv could definitely hit Sexton on a considerable amount of occasions, also, as passing is a key strength of both of their games.

Moreover, with how I firmly believe Sexton should be very sharp on pull-up triples next season, and with how extended offseason should only aid him as a shooter, Russo’s take is again, right on the mark for Sexton’s deep shooting clip in year 3.

It’s safe to say opposing defenses better greatly respect the Young Bull as a deep shooter from here on out with what he’s shown from there through his first two seasons.