Cavs: Identifying the team's most likely award winner

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Collin Sexton, Cleveland Cavaliers. Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images /

Cavs: Identifying the team’s most likely award winner – No. 1: Collin Sexton

Whatever your opinion on Collin Sexton‘s overall impact, or the contract amount the team should offer him, it’s an objective fact that Sexton can score the basketball. Last season his 24.3 points per game ranked 18th in the league. Of the players above him, only Trae Young and De’Aaron Fox were not All-Stars (and Young’s omission turned into a glaring mistake in hindsight).

Sexton has increased that scoring average in each of his three seasons in the league, and it’s reasonable to think he could do it again. If the fourth-year guard can average 26 points per game and five assists, both modest increases from last season, he would be a strong candidate to make his first All-Star team.

The strength of Sexton’s numbers last season will likely hinder him from being a serious candidate for Most Improved Player, and the lack of team success should wall off All-NBA consideration even if he does have a prolific scoring campaign.

As he continues to add to his game, Sexton is not only helping the Cavs’ offense hum but putting himself in position to be nationally recognized for his improvements as well. The defensive inconsistencies are less damaging when being considered for an All-Star berth, and it’s likely that Sexton is in the mix at a minimum this next season.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have a long ways to go as a team, but after multiple seasons frozen out of both the playoffs and the award races, it will be refreshing to hear the word ‘Cavaliers’ when these awards are being discussed, whether or not they win the awards in the end. It’s the start of something more for this franchise.