As the Cleveland Cavaliers prepare for a rebuild after losing LeBron James, there might not be a better first piece than Collin Sexton
The Cleveland Cavaliers might have locked up Kevin Love for the immediate future, but he is not going to be the piece that is built around moving forward.
In fact, he might get dealt. Signing him to an extension and building back up his trade value might just been the first two pieces of that process. Nevertheless, that is neither here nor there, and we will cross that bridge when it comes.
In every rebuild, though, there’s always a first move that sets the tone for what is to come. And for the Cavs, they had a valuable opportunity with the No. 8 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Instead of trading it for a veteran star, in an attempt to try to persuade LeBron to stay another year or two, the team used the pick on Collin Sexton.
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After the first day of free agency, that move turned out to be the first piece to the team’s rebuild. And if the NBA’s Summer League was any indication, it was a great first move.
In seven games during the tournament, Sexton averaged 20 points and 3.4 assists per game on 43 percent shooting from the field. Perhaps even most impressive, he had all the looks of a leader on the floor.
He was assertive and made his presence felt as soon as he stepped foot on the floor.
Sexton is the type of player that can set a culture for a franchise, and that’s exactly what the Cavs are going to need with LeBron James heading West. Sexton will likely be a day 1 starter for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season, and I would not be surprised if he’s on the short list of the favorites to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award.
Collin Sexton may not be as flashy of some of the other rookies in his class, but he gets the job done on a consistent basis. He is the epitome of the city of Cleveland, and might be the perfect first piece to their rebuild.