Cleveland Cavaliers: Evaluating the state of the SG position

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Collin Sexton, Cleveland Cavaliers. Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images /

Evaluating the state of the SG position: Strengths

Because of the draft equity the Cleveland Cavaliers have invested at adjacent positions, the majority of the minutes being played at the 2 for this team are by extremely talented players. Collin Sexton and Isaac Okoro are polar opposites when it comes to how they play, but both have athleticism and natural talent to leverage in the role.

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Sexton in particular gives them a scoring punch. He ranked 18th in the league in scoring this past season with 24.3 points per game. Not every team gets that level of offensive firepower from their shooting guard position; for every Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, there are teams starting 3-and-D options like Danny Green or Duncan Robinson.

Sexton may not have excelled running the team as the point guard, he is a plus-passer as a team’s secondary creator. He averaged 4.4 assists this past season, even more than he did as the “point guard” in his two previous seasons.

The Cavaliers also have lineup versatility. Their starting lineup with Sexton at the 2 is more offense-oriented, but by swapping Sexton out for Isaac Okoro the team suddenly has an aspiring stopper on the wing to check opposing guards. When healthy, Dylan Windler provides the off-ball shooter archetype many teams employ at the 2.

Cleveland is also young at the position, with all of their three primary options still on their rookie contracts and developing as players. That also means none are exceptionally expensive, although Sexton is hurtling towards either an extension or a restricted free agency contract after next season.

Strengths: Scoring + passing (with Sexton as the starter); lineup versatility, contract stability, upside