Going into the 2018 offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers were faced with franchise-altering decisions. After a 4-0 loss in the NBA Finals, all signs were pointing to LeBron James leaving Cleveland and the team in search of their new franchise star.
The Cavs had the eighth overall pick they received in the Kyrie Irving trade and used it on Collin Sexton, a 6-foot-1, dynamic guard out of Alabama. Sexton was the culture setter for this team. Through the low points, his play was always a bright spot.
Sexton’s game has made numerous leaps throughout the years. Despite this, the front office was seemingly hesitant on extending him. With a chance to show his worth, Sexton’s season was cut short due to a meniscus injury and now goes into the offseason with the same questions as last year.
The biggest question surrounding a Sexton extension seems to be where he fits on the team. The pairing of Darius Garland and Collin Sexton has its flaws on the defensive end. It’s a big question of how the combo will work in the playoffs and long-term in general.
The front office has said that they believe the pairing will work out long term but something tells me an extension would’ve already been signed if they did.
Sexton wants to be here, the players want him here, the front office wants him here but, what’s the holdup?
Well, according to a report by Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com in a recent podcast appearance with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype on Scotto’s pod, the Cavaliers’ brass is likely looking at a range of $15-18 million annually, whereas Collin’s camp is looking for $18-22 million annually. With how close the numbers are, I believe they’ll close that gap, though we’ll have to see.
Sexton could be set for restricted free agency, but while he could potentially be more so a sign-and-trade chip, or trade piece down the road, especially based on Scotto’s reports in the pod, I do still believe the interest is there for Sexton to stick around for the long haul.
So, what would a Sexton extension look like?
To judge what Sexton will get, we should look at what others around him have gotten. He is a steady 20-point-per-game scorer, has a better-than-advertised jump shot and is a multi-faceted scorer that can take pressure off Garland, is incredibly athletic, and is tenacious on both ends.
Someone like Terry Rozier is comparable. and he received a 4-year, $96 million extension before the start of the season. Other players like Buddy Hield, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bogdan Bogdanovic all received contracts ranging between $18-21 million annually. Bogdanovic’s compensation is a range that Fedor reported the Cavs were comfortable with, too, for what it’s worth.
It should also be noted that all extensions the Cavs have given out aside from Jarrett Allen‘s have some type of early out for the team. Cedi Osman‘s contract is non-guaranteed for the fourth year and Lauri Markkanen‘s contract is partially guaranteed for his fourth year.
The Cavs may try to go this route with Sexton but it should be noted that the contracts of Markkanen and Osman are set up like that to potentially be used as “cap-clearers” in trades if an opportunity arises and I just don’t see that being the case for Sexton.
If I had to guess, I believe Sexton’s extension will be a 4-year deal at about $20 million annually. The deal should be one that is front-loaded, meaning more money at the start of the extension and a player option after the third year, allowing Sexton to go back into the open market in the prime of his career.
Do I believe an extension will be that easy?
Maybe. As many have said, Sexton doesn’t seem to be a hot commodity around the league. Teams like the San Antonio Spurs or Detroit Pistons, also a club Fedor touched on, could make a run at Sexton but they’ve already invested into their respective backcourts.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the New York Knicks gave him an offer sheet, but Scotto noted how they’ll seek out a Jalen Brunson signing, and ultimately, I believe Collin Sexton will be donning the Wine and Gold next season.