Collin Sexton's Best Option May Be To Take Big-Money Offer From Cavaliers

After a flurry of moves in the past couple of weeks, the NBA offseason market has been consistently slowing down as teams have already figured out the players that they want stepping on the floor for them in the coming season.

However, some notable players are still without a team and that includes restricted free-agent guard Collin Sexton.

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ eighth pick in the 2018 NBA draft has been in negotiations with the franchise to orchestrate a return to the team after spending most of last season on the sidelines as he rehabbed from a torn ACL in their November 7, 2021 game against the New York Knicks.

Because of the injury, Sexton has severely limited leverage at the negotiating table and it is more likely than not that he ultimately decides to sign a big deal with the Cavaliers.

On “The Wine and Gold Talk” podcast, Chris Fedor revealed that Cleveland has reportedly offered Sexton a three-year, “close to $40 million” deal.

For a dynamic scorer prior to his injury, it certainly looks like it is too great of a deal to pass up since how he bounces back from injury could play a role in determining what his role will be moving forward.

Sexton being forced to the sidelines opened the opportunity for Darius Garland to explode onto the scene and produced eye-popping numbers which led to an All-Star selection and a five-year, $193 million extension.

As a restricted free agent, Sexton can also take a similar bet on himself this season by signing his qualifying offer worth $7.2 million and become an unrestricted free agent by the summer of 2024.

There is an inherent risk in doing so, however.

If the former Alabama Crimson Tide product suffers any type of setback, be it an injury or his numbers take a massive hit, it could severely limit the market for his capabilities.

But if he succeeds, the rewards could be greater than a three-year, $40 million deal and could find himself in a featured role–something that may not be given to him in Cleveland if he does not produce big right out of the gates.

Fedor also noted in early June that teams like the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons were eyeing Sexton, but the two teams have not made a move for Sexton since the initial report.

It now turns out that taking the Cavaliers’ offer might be in the best interest of Sexton’s self-preservation as he hopes to be part of their budding playoff contender.