NBA Rumors: Cavs' First-Round Pick Stands Nowhere Close To Max Deal For Now

KEY POINTS

Sexton needs to adjust his game if he wants to get a good deal from the Cavs
The Cavs may want to see first how Sexton can co-exist with Garland and Mobley
Sexton is putting up acceptable numbers, but there is still room for improvement

Collin Sexton of the Cleveland Cavaliers is one of those players who did not get a contract extension.

There remains no official word on how much the 22-year-old wanted, but a report has given an idea and it's hardly surprising.

Like most rookies, Sexton was unsurprisingly expecting a huge contract offer. According to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, the No. 8 overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft wanted money close to what De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings and Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets got.

Fox got a five-year $163 million max contract extension, while Murray was given a five-year $170 million deal.

Looking at how both players have shown their talent and value, those lofty deals are hardly surprising. Both have made an impact on their respective teams thus far.

The same cannot be said for Sexton. Even if he has been putting up good numbers since suiting up for the Cavs in 2018 (20.1 points, 3.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 33 minutes), he has been criticized for his inability to blend in with his teammates.

However, all is not lost for Sexton. The Cavs management wants to see how well he can sync in with Evan Mobley and Darius Garland moving forward.

As far as the amount of money they are willing to shell out, it remains to be seen if this will be as lucrative as the one that some of the members of Sexton’s draft class have gotten.

This is not to question what Sexton can do. He has proven that. In the 2021-22 season alone, he has already played in seven games averaging 17.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists.

These may be a tad below his career averages as a Cavalier, but these are subject to change.

The key to Sexton proving that he deserves a max contract deal is his ability to adjust. He has been known to want the ball in his hands much of the time, something that has yet to sit well with his teammates.

Garland, on the other hand, has been taking the lead. This is one of the reasons why Sexton has not been getting that ball that much.

It is a reality that the 6-foot-1 guard will have to realize if he wants big money coming soon.

Sexton has also been mentioned in trade rumors, but nothing has gone beyond it.