Cavs should get Collin Sexton PT with #3 guard pick before potential trade

The Cleveland Cavaliers ended up with some nice fortune in the 2021 NBA Draft lottery, with the squad ending up landing the #3 pick in the draft, which is set to commence on July 29.

Cleveland could reportedly be open to trading that pick as part of a possible package for an established star, but I’d still more so expect them to take that pick, given there’s superstar potential in that range and possible game-changers.

At this point, it would seem that realistic targets for Cleveland in that spot are Evan Mobley, Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs. Perhaps the likes of Jonathan Kuminga and Scottie Barnes could be in the conversation as well, but the first three mentioned seem more likely for now.

In Mobley’s case, he looks to be the best big in the draft by far, and even for a 7-footer, while he does need to put on weight in coming years, is still so versatile on the defensive end, should provide rim protection and has tantalizing offensive potential.

In the scenario that Mobley is off the board though, but either way seemingly, it would appear that Cleveland could go with Green or Suggs, as we noted. And while I personally value him more than plenty of other Cavaliers fans, it seems that with a possible Green or Suggs pick, Collin Sexton could be on the move via trade by next season.

That’s per a report from Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated, who stated that the Cavaliers “have begun to explore trade options” involving Sexton, who is set to be extension-eligible and per Woo’s report, “appears likely” to pursue a max deal.

Nonetheless, I’d personally rather Cleveland try to find a way to give Sexton, Darius Garland and a potential Green/Suggs pick all a solid chunk of minutes, at least before a potential Sexton trade.

Maybe that’s wishful thinking by me, but that, particularly with such a polished scorer in Green, in particular, would be so dynamic for stretches and could really open things up for those at the 4/5.

The Cavs should get Sexton some PT with a #3 guard pick before a potential trade, if that’s what they select come draft night.

I’m not discounting Woo’s report, and we’ll probably see more rumors to come involving possible Sexton trades; I just would prefer Cleveland give Sexton some time to see if they can have lineups with him, potentially Green/Suggs and Garland even. Now, some non-Garland lineups come to mind as well in that way, of course.

Garland-Sexton-Green lineups for stretches, though I wouldn’t expect that to be a ton of the time, would be difficult to account for in transition/secondary transition with Garland’s handle and his playmaking feel (6.1 assists per game in Year 2).

I also think with the all-around scoring of Sexton and with him improving as a playmaker last season (4.4 assists per outing) that Green could play off of either/both as a viable catch-and-shoot player, and he could at least initiate productive ball-swings to help those two out himself from there.

In a similar way, Suggs (6.3 assists per-40 minutes at Gonzaga in his lone season) could do the same. Albeit he’d likely provide more of a passing presence for those two/others, whereas Green (17.9 points per outing with the G League Elite) I’d anticipate could help others with his scoring gravity and could be a legitimate lob threat on the weak side at times.

Anyway, although Sexton could seemingly be moved before next season, with the athleticism, multi-faceted scoring abilities and playmaking outlook, and the pace either of those trios could play at for Cleveland, with defensive pieces mixed in and/or Larry Nance Jr./Dean Wade, that could be very dynamic for the Cavs. Wade comes to mind in that way, even more so, for what it’s worth.

To me, I think the Cavaliers would be wise to at least give Sexton some PT with a potential #3 guard pick via the 2021 NBA Draft, with that feasibly being Suggs or Green, in that case, and especially Green, who I’m personally higher on.

Will that possibility come to fruition? We’ll have to see.

But the Cavs would be in the right in doing so, with the progression Sexton, who led them with 24.3 points per outing in 2020-21, has shown and with the playmaking strides he’s made, particularly for a 2. Again though, maybe that’s wishful thinking from my end.

But I’m sure I’m not the only one that’s of that opinion.