The continued standoff between the Cavaliers and free agent Collin Sexton hasn’t been contentious, but it doesn’t appear the two sides are close to an agreement, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
Sexton’s agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, continues to insist that his client deserves the salary of a starting guard, which is what he was before suffering a torn meniscus 11 games into last season. Paul wants Sexton to be paid more than $20MM per year, similar to the deals that Jalen Brunson got from the Knicks and Anfernee Simons received from the Trail Blazers.
Even though Sexton’s options are limited because he’s a restricted free agent, Fedor notes that Lonzo Ball, Malcolm Brogdon and Terry Rozier were all able to land big contracts in the same situation in recent years.
Cleveland’s offer is roughly $40MM over three years, which would pay Sexton about $13MM per season. The team believes it’s a reasonable contract for someone coming off a major injury, noting that it’s almost twice as much as Sexton’s $7.2MM qualifying offer and an increase over the $10.4MM mid-level exception. Sexton still has the option of accepting the QO and moving into unrestricted free agency next summer.
The Cavs are determined to remain under the luxury tax this season, Fedor adds, and can’t offer Sexton much more than $13MM without exceeding the threshold.
Paul talked to Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman in late July, but Fedor’s sources said neither side seems willing to move off its demands even though they understand a deal needs to be reached before the start of training camp.
Take the QO & take your time coming back from that injury. Take only the advice of your own doctors, not the team doctors. Come back around all-star break and remind the league who u are. Obv move on from Cle as soon as the season is over. Sign a big contract next summer as a ufa
@Sankara
Why? Sexton was fighting for the team to activate him before the playoffs started and the Cavs felt that was too soon and too risky especially knowing he was facing free agency. He’s ready to play now and management isn’t fighting that. Besides it’s not exactly wise to risk signing the QO coming off a serious knee injury. He could easily injure it again. I’m not saying he should sign the 3/$40 but I would try and negotiate for more than the QO on a short deal.
Cavs have shown how they feel about the boy. He’s a much better player than they apparently think he is. The open market will show as much next summer. Coming off a situation where his team just tried to offer him less than he’s worth bc he’s coming off an injury it’s obvious that he should prioritize his health. Cavs are certainly prioritizing his health over his talent/potential in these negotiations. I’m sure there’s a doctor out there that will be willing to advise him to do blood enriching or something like that to hold him out a few more months. With millions of $ on the line & this possibly being his only chance to get the generational $ that he’s been sacrificing & working for his whole life he’s gotta use every bit of leverage possible. If Cleveland wanted him they’d pay him what he’s worth. If not he’ll ball out whenever he comes back
@Sankara
He has no leverage. That’s pretty obvious. Best thing for him to do is to play and show everyone he’s healthy and a player worthy of his asking price. Hopefully he’ll stay with the Cavs but good teams (Heat, Mavs) have shown interest scoring to reporters, but don’t have ability to work out s&t right now. Trust me, I think the Cavs are idiots? Who are they holding out for? LBJ is likely not coming here until Bronny is draft eligible, if at all. They have a ton of cap space coming off next season. Unless it’s LBJ then the Cavs ate unlikely to be able to attract top FA and we have a desperate need to add more offense (25th ranked offense) and with Garland @ the 1, Markannen/Agbaki/Okoro like @ the 3 and Mobley/Allen @ the 4 and 5 the SG position seems to be the most obvious place to look for more talent and I feel Sexton is a better option right now. Maybe Agbali will show offensive prowess to go along with his rep as a good defender and he can fill the SG but that’s yet to be proven where’s Section, if healthy, has proven he can at least be an above average scorer in the NBA and is better than Levert. I don’t talk much about the Knicks because they perpetually make bad decisions. I felt that since Kobt took over as GM most of his moves have worked out well except for allowing his ego to cut bait on KP Jr for nothing. This can be a very, very good team with near allstar talent at every position with Markannen being the eldest at 25. That’s 2 allstars in Garland and Allen. Two guys in Mobley and Sexton that you can imagine being future allstars and Markannen who likely WON’T be an allstar but can be a solid 15-18 ppg/5-8 rebound/3pt threat. Strong defensively, moving from bottom 5 team to top 7 but need to make improvements as bottom 5 offensive team. Cavs just need to prioritize good drafting, nurturing and retention of talent. That’s what the GSW did and it took them 3 to 4 years together for the team to gel.
He has plenty of leverage lol. The QO is leverage. The fact that Cleveland struggles to score without him is leverage. The fact that he’ll be a UFA if he accepts the QO is leverage. Having Rich Paul as an agents & oh yea being 1 of the best scoring guards in the world is leverage… on the Cavs side apparently Gilbert has said the tax is a red line & Altman can’t offer Collin anything that takes them over the line. But me personally I’d find a way to keep Collin long term. Give Indy a future pick to take Cedi or something but letting Collin go would be a mistake & he def ain’t going for what they’re trying to sell him
Leverage for what. Cavs ain’t paying him. They will trade him. So how is this leverage. Nobody wants him. Or they would have traded for him already.
No team is trading for him u less he agrees to a contract. And no one wants to pay him.
And who’s mins is he going to take on this Cavs team. That doesn’t need him. LaVert and Agbaji are real SG. Sexton is the next Schroder lol. No one is paying him.
@Sankara … Sexton has NO leverage. He isn’t that good. He is small, plays no defense and doesn’t really shoot the 3. He has only ever gotten stats on bad teams. He got hurt and Cleveland made the playoffs.
Collin Sexton does NOTHING to help a team win games. Sexton does NOTHING to help a team win games. This is why he is still a free agent. The league does not have a high value on his skills!
@Sankara
I’m a huge Sexton supporter if you couldn’t tell. I also think the Cavs would be foolish to let him walk next year because they absolutely need more offense from three SG position. However, he has ZERO leverage to get a better contract than the 3/$40 on the table right now. He either accepts three QO which is what, $13 mil, and risk being injured next year and losing the bag? Although they would be bidding against themselves I think they should up their offer and pay the lux tax. Or move Levert’s 1/$18 mill expiring contract to make room. I don’t want Sexton to feel embarrassed or feel some kinda way. Usually Rich Paul had leverage to get the Cavs to bid against themselves but not so much now without LBJ there.
Maybe he has to but I don’t like it. I’d rather Rich Paul use his leverage to at least get a team to offer a 1+1 for 13.5 per or that weird deal Josh Hart signed. Or even a 1 year MLE is better than 1 year 7.2 QO.
It makes Cleveland match and pay more than 7.2, you know just because. Cavs would be pissed if Sexton got offered a 1+1 for 13.5 or MLE, how could Cleveland not match.
That would work too. My Hawks still got our MLE & an open roster spot. I wouldn’t mind us doing that at all
I’m just gonna weigh in with my opinion, Sexton should have a similar value to Donovan Mitchell. Similar players undersized top level offence players with weak D. Difference is Sextons injury recovery and Mitchell’s apparent value(which I agree should be high).
But an opportunity to sign a very high upside guard that has proved he can ball in the NBA and no body want him? Unlikely. If I’m Knicks I snap their hand off(again I don’t agree 2x small weak D guards but that’s what they want). If I’m Mavs I do what I can to get him, any other team short and the guard position. It’s weird Brunson gets the bags but Sexton is better and younger.
@JW91 …. Wrong!!!
I will give you the difference. 2 years ago, Donovan Mitchell was the leading scorer on a Utah team that was the #1 seed in the Western Conference. Playoffs were a disaster, but they were the top seed.
Collin Sexton has NEVER played on a winning team. ALL the teams he has played on have UNDER ACHIEVED! ALL of them!!
@Barry, what?
His numbers are virtually identical to Mitchells year per year. With the exception of last year where he got injured.
Sexton has played for the Cavs, yes they have been losing seasons but he didn’t have The Dpoty to make up for his lack of height and D he didn’t have 6th man helping he didn’t have top 3&D players so again hyping up a mirrored player 2 seasons further ahead and slamming a mirror player on a MUCH weaker team is unfair. Plus the fact it was 2 years deeper into his career when they went 1st seed. Look at their numbers YOY and they’re virtually identical.
I say 2 season further because he is. And again if Sexton had been fit this year he would be getting the credit Garland got. When he got injured everyone was saying “oooo we’ll Garland isn’t going to be able to pick up the slack he’s just not good enough”. People need to stop writing players off before they get a chance to prove. Both Sexton and Garland are 22&23 they’re kids that are too undersized to really do well together. But you can’t deny Everyone was betting on Sexton to be AS long before Garland. He is a very good player with the same stat trajectory as Donovan Mitchell at 23. Anyone with a good PG should be screaming to try and pick him up for 18-20m that’s his value not 13m not “take what you can get” and not Max his quality had been proven over 3 seasons. Losing team or not. Like saying Cade is a bum because he plays for Detroit SGA is terrible for playing on OKC etc. It’s wrong and he deserves some respect.
@Very
Bro the team is rebuilding after LBJ walked. Sexton has only played 3 seasons. How dumb is it to blame him for the team’s lack of winning? They took a big step last season.
The Jazz were a 51 win team the year before they drafted Mitchell. He was lucky to join a team that good. Sexton joined a team with 19 wins and he’s had 4 or 5 different head coaches thus far. Don’t hold the fact he was drafted by a dysfunctional organization full of veteran old guys left over from the last LBJ run. Love was the best player and he was hurt and ineffective up until last season. No leadership. Not much talent around him, 1 year out of high school. Be smarter than that.
@KnicksCavs
That 51 win Jazz team had just lost their franchise player(Hayward) and Starting PG(Hill) and key bench guys like Diaw and Joe Johnson. Mitchell came in as a rookie and became the focal point of the offense and they still managed to win 48 games. The Jazz we’re lucky that Mitchell fell to them at 13th in the draft.
I’m not going to tell you that Sexton sucks but he’s nowhere near Mitchell’s level. The counting stats are similar but that’s where it ends. Mitchell and Sexton can both get to the rim at will but that’s where it stops for Sexton. When Mitchell drives he collapses the defense, if they don’t he can make them pay by pulling up for a floater, short jumper or dunk it in their face. If they do collapse he can kick it out to a teammate that either takes the shot or pass it to another player.
When Sexton drives he takes a jumper or turns it over. He doesn’t involve his teammates in half court games.
They both have similar shooting percentages from deep but Mitchell hits that percentage with a higher degree of difficulty. Mitchell will pull up off the screen or a dribble move if the defense sags off while Sexton is a spot up shooter. Mitchell also takes twice as many threes as Sexton. While Sexton has gotten better passing in transition he needs to be a better passer in the half court and take more threes.
They both struggle on defense but Utah’s defense was orchestrated on funneling the ball handler to Gobert while chasing shooters off the line. Let’s see what he does now knowing he doesn’t have Gobert there to bail him out. While he’s short Spida does have the wingspan to be an effective perimeter defender.
A 1 + 1 partial at 16 and 4 guaranteed in back would be a fair compromise.
@ Juice
It still would pull Cavs over the tax line.
No.
All good players should take QO unless they are not good players OR they have bad AGENT.
Lakers can make an offer if Westbrook did not opt in (sacrificed)
Sexton is better than Westbrook
Edit
All good players should not take QO
@Sillivan
Why? What’s wrong with wanting some security. You want me to give it my best? You want me to give body on charges? Fight for those fifty fifty ball’s? Dive into the crowd to avoid a turnover? Job security.
Since when has a torn meniscus become a “major” injury? If you don’t want to pay the kid just say that lol.
I wonder why they’re so afraid of the lux tax? Gilbert was never shy of it when LBJ was there. Clearly, Sexton isn’t on that same level and the team is far from a lock to be a playoff threat but still. Love/$29, Levert/$19 and Osman/$7.4 are all on expiring contracts. I don’t agree with running to give Garland $38 mil per and then lowballing Sexton @ $13 per. Garland had a great year but has he shown enough to guarantee him 5/$192 mil. I like both of them but don’t think the gap in earning is commiserate with the difference in talent.
Because the non luxury tax team reward this year is somewhere between 15 and 20 million.
So if they pay Sexton 20 instead of 13 then the net loss this year is 22-27 million. So his team is basically saying give us an extra 7 and take a 22 million dollar loss as a opportunity cost. Now look at QO, that’s 7, so if he takes QO then Cavs save 6 million on salary vs the 13. Then gain another 15+.
If he takes
QO
Sexton 7.2
Cavs Extra 22-28 million net (also gain 4 million to use of MLE left from Rubio which might be helpful in overpaying a buyout guy)
(7.2 non tax team vs 13.5 non tax team vs 20 1st time tax payer, 20 destroys effort to be a non tax beneficiary of a record amount this year estimated to be at least 15 million in Non BRI income)
3/40
Sexton 13.5 per
Cavs get tax windfall
4/80
Sexton 20 starter he wants
Cavs, lose tax windfall and bid against themselves to pay more than the market value because no one offered a sheet accepted.
My solution
Offer Sexton a 1+1 mutual option or simply a 1 year 13.5. It doesn’t make sense but it shows you care but don’t wanna do tax. If he would sign the QO I’d offer more because dude we respect your work ethic. Plus we retain your Bird Rights for next summer and we will give you the number u want at 20 per. Just a jesture of appreciation that we gave u a extra 6 million this year when we didn’t have to.
What you really just said is that the tax money is worth more than Sexton period. Why bother to tender him if that’s the case much less offer him a 1 + 1 mutual.
Let Goodwin and Rembhard share minutes at his position and be done with it.
@Juice
Because Reinhard is a career backup with 63 minutes of nba experience Goodwin isn’t even on the roster, the Cavs need a legit scorer and there’s a gaping hole at SG? Oh and they want to win? I’d rather stick Levert there or give Agbali a shot there before your suggestion.
IMHO, Garland all day long over Sexton and there’s a pretty good gap between the two. Cleveland is doing it right and if Sexton walks, so be it. He’s a Lou Williams at best. Garland on the other hand is going to be a top star. Eager to see him in his prime as he grows into his role.
@padam
Career average
GAR/WILLIAMS/SEXTON
Points pg: 17/14/20
FG% 43%/41%/46%
FGA. 15/11/16
3PT % 38%/35%/38%
3PTA. 6/4/4
FT% 88%/84%/83%
ASST PG. 6/3/3
REB. 3/2/3
TO. 3/2/2.5
DEFRTG 116/111/119
OFFRTG. 106/111/106
USG. 25/26/27
TOV% 16%/12%/12%
Please show me the gulf that exists? Sexton is 1st in points per, 1st in FG%, tied for 1st in 3PT %, tied 1st in TOV% (lowest), relatively close in FT%, OFFrtg, DEFrtg, USG, FGA and REB. Garland has +3 in assists but keep in mind he’s no longer the PG but a SG although his last healthy year he had a career high 4.4 apg. If he can repeat 4apg next year that puts him in the same range as most other star SG. So aside from assists, which is not his primary job it’s more to score than to facilitate and being a little more worse on defense what’s the major gulf you speak of between Sexton and Garland? And clearly he’s a little more efficient than Williams who’s been more of a volume shooter, even as a 6th man, with a career 41% FG% and only 1 season out of 15 with a FG% over 44%. It seems that not being a marquee name and getting a bad wrap his first season from vet players left from the LBJ years who were likely jealous that the team went into rebuild mode and lost minutes to Sexton (JR, George Hill, Clarkson) has worked against him. He absolutely need to improve on his team defense and adapt more to working off ball he’s still a guy who can create his own shot at all 3 tiers and shoot with efficiency. He deserves more respect. And I’m a big fan of Garland too it just seems that the narrative that Garland is elite and Sexton isn’t doesn’t pass the smell test. Once you’ve moved Sexton to SG and factor in what their responsibilities are, they are very similar. Cavs need more offense especially since Garland has had to miss time due to back issues AND had to carry the full load last year as he led the league in MP for the 2nd half of the season and 6th overall for the season.
The gap is 13 million vs 35 million. The Cavs see a big gap as well.
One guy got offered 3/40 or 1/7.2 and the other guy 5/192
@QB1
I’m talking usually gap. If I’m wrong show me with a logical comeback.
I meant I’m talking talent gap.
The Cavs think the gap is worth paying Garland 3x’s as much.
The actual gap in my eyes is smaller to still large. You are using mostly counting stats that teams really could care less about. All the actual Impact metrics have Garland light years ahead of Sexton. DARKO, LEBRON, RAPTOR D Plus Minus, Wins Above Replacement.
Garland helps teams wins and Sexton hasn’t yet. He is still my boy and favorite Cav.
Garland
@QB1
OK… Haha… we’ll ignore the fact that Sexton, aside for 13 games, has yet to play a full season with Mobley, Markannen and a rejuvenated Love. We’ll attribute the entire + 22 game improvement on the +4 points and +3 assists Garland had and ignore the fact the team was more likely better because the defense of Mobley and Allen anchored the defense that moved us from bottom 5 to top 7. Btw way FG%, 3PT%, TO%, DEFRTG, OFFRTG aren’t counting stats. Ignore the facts I showed that says Garland and Sexton are pretty much the same. Ignore the fact that Garland ranks almost as bad as Sexton defensively. Of course Garland will have more assists. He’s the starting PG. You’ve not shown ANY evidence that Garland is hands down far better than Sexton. Ppl use stats to disparage him without using any bit of context in terms of the role he was asked to play his rookie season. Get real.
The story’s are. No one wants Sexton ????
They can’t give him away. I wonder Y.
Cavaliers Rumors: Collin Sexton Has ‘No Market’ in FA; CLE ‘Hopeful’ for New Contract
TIMOTHY RAPP
NBA Rumors: Collin Sexton has no market; what’s next?
by Michael Saenz
JUL 4, 2022 10:38 PM EDT
Mavs Unwilling to Trade Top Assets for Cavs’ Collin Sexton?
@Knicker
What’s more likely? No one wants Sexton or teams don’t have the cap space to make an offer, don’t want to trade away cap space to fit him in when he’s a RFA and likely to be matched by Cavs? Use your brain dude. I guarantee you he’d have offers if he was unrestricted and certainly much more than that if he proves himself to be healthy and puts up another efficent 20+ season.
No one wants him. He’s basically a 6’ combo guard. If he was a Real PG. Teams would be after him. His scoring is based on stats monger. Bad Cavs teams that let him dominate the ball. What team is going to let him do that.
People are sleeping on Agbaji. He was a great pick for Cavs. I think he is going to surprise a lot of NBA scouts.
@Knick
Yeezus… NEWS FLASH, he’s not being asked to play the PG position. He’s a SG and has been since Garland was drafted. He’s 6’1, same size as Donovan Mitchell. .
As far as him being a “stat monger” all I can say is OMG ever heard of context? Look at last year’s USG leaders….all the ones with a USG rate of 27 (Sexton’s career average) are a list of the best scorers in the game. Doncic at the highest at 37, Garland at 28 and Westbrook and Harden at 27 too. Here’s where CONTEXT (using your brain) comes into play.
Sexton is an efficient 3 tier scorer @ 46%/38%/82 with 2.5 TO per game where as last year Westbrook (44%/30%/67% and 4 TO) was horribly INEFFICIENT. Harden was (41%/30%/88% with 4.4 TO). A high USG isn’t inherently a bad thing. USG vs efficiency that matters. TOP 5 in USG last year: Luka, Embid, Giannis, Young and Morant. All 34 USG or higher. Historically, Jordan, Westbrook, Kobe, Iverson and LBJ are top 5 in USG. Difference? MJ (50%) and LBJ (51%) have career FG% of 50% or better whereas Kobe @ 45%, Westbrook @ 44% and AI @ 43% were, for the most part, volume scorer.
Jesus there are no 6’ shooting guards. Jesus !!!!! That’s why nobody wants him. So again ……. At 6’ if he could REALLY play the POINT. He’d have plenty of suitors. Cause now now a REAL scoring PG is worth the 20 mill he is looking for.
Sexton will NEVER …. You need a dictionary for this. NEVER play SG for Cavs. It’s why they traded for LaVert. It’s why they drafted Agbaji. What part of that don’t you get. There are no Starting 6’ SG in the NBA.
And if you want to bring up DM. He has a long reach and ups like Wade. So plays much bigger than what he is. And he does also play the point. Avgs over 5 ast a gm. Sexton Ava 3 ast a gm.
Ive been telling you this for yrs now. You just won’t get it till he’s gone. His OWN team doesn’t want to pay him. And you still don’t get it.
He should outright release him then if what you say is true. Gilbert won’t do so because someone will pick him up and Gilbert is afraid he might just make an impact somewhere where and make him look like a fool.
The Magic, Pelicans, Pacers and Hornets would take him. If the Cavs put a sign and trade 2 year offer at 25 on the table they would bid. This would drive his value up if they did which is why they haven’t.
Keep in mind Gilbert is the type of owner that does not want a player on one hand and does not want anyone to have him either.
If he were serious about not going over the luxury tax line he would dangle a 2 year sign and trade offer on the table and see who bites.
Still can’t get over the irony they saved Lauri last year from a team unwilling to be bird trapped now they face the same situation themselves
Not much digestible there but worth the small *denotation
Sexton better take to offer.
Not much cap room next year. His camp should come back with a 1 year 13 and can show what he is worth. Don’t be a Schroeder, IT or Boogie. 40 million is life security!
There’s a ton of cap room next year and much more than there is now. Sexton is practically guaranteed to get paid more than he’s being offered as long as he stays healthy.
Sexton should be more concerned with his role in CLE going forward than the team’s current contract offer. Is this a pricing dispute or a sign that they don’t see him as a core piece? The first isn’t a reason not to sign a deal that works for the team within its stated parameters. The second may be.
Sexton is, at best, a WIP in terms of being a complete player, and he missed last season. So, it’s not hard to imagine why he can’t command the salary he wants. Anyway, even if he can’t imagine, it’s irrelevant. His first priority should be getting back on the court in a role in which he can excel in the context of team success. After that, a trade-off between guaranteed money and the ability to hit the UFA market as soon as possible.
WIP?
Work in Progress
Weak In Point ……