Cavs trade idea with Rockets swaps Sexton for veteran wing

Cavs trade idea with Rockets: Benefits for the Cavs

The problem with re-signing Collin Sexton to play big minutes in a significant role is that for all of his on-ball scoring ability, he is a marginal off-ball player and a below-average defender. Teams can survive with such a player in the right situation, but with Darius Garland also a small guard and much better with the ball in his hands, Sexton just doesn’t scale well into a major role alongside him.

Moving Sexton for a player who can thrive alongside Garland, then, is the way to go for the Cavs. Eric Gordon represents a player who can do exactly that. Gordon is just that kind of player, a career 37.1 percent shooter with enough juice to be a secondary scoring threat. Defensively he is incredibly stout and strong, and while only 6’4″ he has played a large number of minutes at the 3 and done quite well, giving the Cavs some positional versatility as well.

The other benefit to adding Gordon is his contract. The 33-year-old (he turns 34 on Christmas Day!) is making $19.6 million this season, and then has a year after that that is non-guaranteed. If the Cavs have a line on a top-tier free agent or another reason to use their cap space, they can waive Gordon. If not, then they can bring him back for another year and play the cap space game in 2024.

Gordon thrived while playing alongside James Harden and Chris Paul in Houston, and he could do the same with Garland in Cleveland. Adding him may mean a shorter timeline for that asset slot, but he will help them win right away and can be a part of the Cavs’ growing “veteran core” to play alongside the young core: Ricky Rubio, Gordon and Kevin Love.