Cavs Free Agency: 3 theories on why Collin Sexton isn’t signed

Cavs Free Agency: Why Sexton isn’t signed yet – RFA market waiting on Durant

Kevin Durant is one of the 15 best players of all time; prior to this past season I ranked him 15th exactly. He is still in his prime, playing at an MVP level when he was available last season despite the chaos of the Brooklyn Nets and their season. Now that he has requested a trade out of Brooklyn, certain parts of the NBA have paused to await the results.

One of those parts has been the restricted free agency market. The biggest names on the board, including center DeAndre Ayton and Sexton, are still unsigned. That could be because they could be pieces moving in a deal for Durant. The Cavs probably aren’t going to send Sexton, Evan Mobley and salary filler to the Nets for Durant, but the Phoenix Suns could use Ayton in a deal, especially one involving a third or fourth team, and that means Ayton can’t sign a new deal now.

With Ayton in limbo, a trickle-down effect is in order. The few remaining teams with significant cap space, including the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers, may be waiting to see if Ayton will be free to sign a max deal with them. If he in turn is off the table for sure, they may pivot to a plan B – and give Sexton a significant deal.

The odds of Sexton being inside of a Durant deal itself are slim, but the engine that could lead to Sexton getting a deal the Cavs will be forced to match hasn’t yet left the station. Eventually, if the Durant saga continues to stretch out, teams may have to move forward without him. For now, everyone is waiting.