Cavs: Weighing in on ESPN’s ranking of 4 CLE players

Cavs: Weighing in on Sexton’s #59 ranking by ESPN

There isn’t anything to be said about Sexton that hasn’t already been. Sexton has been a bright spot on a Cavs team that has seen many gloomy days over the last few seasons. Sexton asserted himself as one of the NBA’s premier scorers averaging the 22nd-most points this past season at 24.3.

What makes that so impressive is that Sexton was able to efficiently put up those scoring numbers while being one of the most double-teamed players in the NBA and having some of the worst spacing in the league.

Amongst his peers, ESPN ranked guys like Anthony Edwards and Buddy Hield above him, two players who Sexton had an undoubtedly better season than. Averaging more points and assists on a higher true shooting rate than both, it’s hard to understand ESPN’s logic behind those rankings.

The continuous stigma surrounding him as a player should have been shut down this past season and should certain things go the team’s way, we may see Sexton become an All-Star this upcoming season.

Though the ranking isn’t perfect, having four players on the list should excite Cavs fans for what’s to come.

If I were to rank those four myself, it would be Collin Sexton as the best, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, then Lauri Markkanen by a slight margin in relation to how I project them to play next season.

At next season’s end, the team could end with 5-6 players on this list depending on how Isaac Okoro and Evan Mobley play, and for a team who was left with little once LeBron James left for the second time, this is a great turnaround.