Cavs: Collin Sexton’s high FT rate this season has paid off

Collin Sexton is undoubtedly the primary option offensively for the Cleveland Cavaliers now, and we all know are well aware of that.

Sexton led Cleveland in scoring last season with 20.8 points per outing, and closed off last season red hot in that way. He had 24.2 points per contest in what would end up being his final 25 games active, and then the prior season went into its novel coronavirus-induced hiatus, and the Cavs would ultimately have their 2019-20 end.

In Year 3, Sexton has again been the Cavs’ top scorer, and currently has had 23.6 points per game overall.

Albeit since returning from a five-game absence because of a left ankle sprain, Sexton has cooled off somewhat, and really since his two-game binge against the Brooklyn Nets. Some of that could seemingly be attributed to him still having been a bit hobbled at times with the ankle/landing awkwardly, though.

Nonetheless, Sexton has still made his presence felt in a big way this season, and looks to be a “budding star,” as KJG’s John Carter hit on, with how he’s often carried the Cavaliers.

In a bucket-getting sense, either way, Sexton has continued to make strides with how he’s been able to utilize changing of his pace on the ball to get to his spots, and although we still need to see him get more three-point attempts, he’s still been big-time on-ball.

And on the plus side, if the Cavs and the likes of Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman can get him a bit more looks via spot-ups/ball-swings/skip feeds, he’s more than capable of hitting those triples. Sexton, while again I would ideally like to see some more volume than 3.8 attempts per outing at this point, still has hit 43.4 percent of his three-point attempts.

What has been a positive, though, is how Sexton, who has continued to make strides with his body from Year 1 to Year 2 and since Year 2 to Year 3, and over an extended offseason, has gotten to the free throw line in bunches.

Sexton high free throw rate this year has paid off for him and the Cavs.

Thus far, Sexton’s averaged 5.4 free throw attempts per game, and has had a robust free throw rate of 30.1 percent, and that’s enabled him to will home some production.

Collin only had one free throw attempt in Monday’s close loss at the Phoenix Suns, but that sort of thing has been infrequent. And for context, the league average this season has been a free throw rate of 24.8 percent, per Basketball Reference.

Point being, what’s been great to see is how Sexton has been able to use his change of pace to generate free throw chances consistently this season, and although he did see that last season, he’s taken that a step further in Year 3. And that’s been a very positive sign regarding his continued development, really, in his third season.

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The way he’s been able to feel defenders trying to recover when he’s beaten them off the bounce initially, and then has been able to generate free throw attempts as a result has been an encouraging sign. And that’s only made him tougher to defend on-ball.

I wouldn’t read much into Sexton hitting a bit lower than his career average from the line so far at 81.3 percent this season, either.

Anyway, while again, we’d like to see Sexton get more three-point attempts up, frankly, looking onward, as he’s more than capable from deep both off the catch and off the bounce, him getting to the line at a high rate has paid off.

That sort of thing is something that can always get him more in a rhythm, I believe, moving forward, and shows continued growth with his approach. And also in that realm, due to that strength improvement, and again over this past offseason, Sexton’s already had 13 And-1 plays, which has been impressive, too.

Moreover, hopefully Sexton can keep generating a bunch of free throw opportunities for himself/the Cavaliers overall.

Granted, let’s hope Sexton, who has improved as a passer with 4.1 assists per outing this season, can get some more spray out looks to shooters such as Garland, Osman, Taurean Prince and feasibly Dylan Windler, too, though.