Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 reasons Collin Sexton should become sixth man

3. Height/playmaking issues

When the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Darius Garland with the fifth pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, critics instantly questioned how two undersized guards could play side-by-side in the starting lineup. This would surely create issues defensively for a team that was already the worst defensive squad in the league.

Of course, we have seen many NBA teams run two smaller guards together successfully. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum is the most recent example, with duos such as Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars also join this list.

However, all of these other duos have something that Collin Sexton and Darius Garland simply have not shown yet: playmaking. Neither player has given any indication that he’s capable of setting up his teammates. Garland, in particular, hasn’t shown much willingness to pass in the first place.

Last season, Sexton averaged just 3.0 assists per game. This ranked near the bottom of the league for starting point guards. An excuse can be made that he was an inexperienced rookie playing on a poor offensive team, but it’s unlikely he becomes an elite playmaker over the summer.

Having two undersized guards that aren’t exceptional at anything other than scoring (as of now) is a recipe for disaster. Staggering their minutes appears to be the best solution given that lack of height and playmaking in a Garland-Sexton backcourt.