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Cleveland Cavaliers: Grading each member of the young core

By Tony Pesta

CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 03: Collin Sexton #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers taunts the New York Knicks bench after scoring during the first half at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 03, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 03: Collin Sexton #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers taunts the New York Knicks bench after scoring during the first half at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 03, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Collin Sexton

Grade: B- 

The NBA world seems to be completely split on Collin Sexton. You either love the Young Bull’s tenacity and ability to score the ball or you hate his tunnel vision play style. Whichever side of the fence you find yourself on, it’s tough to deny Sexton as one of the team’s most impactful players.

The Cleveland Cavaliers offense relies on Sexton’s team-high 19.9 points per game. He is often criticized for attempting ill-advised shots but is shooting an efficient 46.3 percent from the field and 37.0 percent from the 3-point line.

Sexton is a crazy quick athlete with a surprising amount of bounce. He has found no trouble getting into the paint, something that has been a blessing and a curse for Sexton. He has been blocked more times than any other player in the league but is also earning the respect of referees. Sexton is attempting nearly four free throws a game and connecting on 85.5 percent of them.

His decision-making has frustrated fans and even his own teammates. Young Bull has committed 112 turnovers this season and racked up just 137 total assists. He frequently drives into multiple defenders, either losing the ball or forcing contested floaters.

Regardless, Sexton has been on fire since January. Across 19 games, Sexton is putting up 23.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game on 48/46/93 percent shooting clips. He has scored 20+ points in 14 games and set new career-high for assists (7).

For every good thing, Sexton brings to the team, some serious problems arise as well. Despite being a high-energy player, he is a detriment on defense due to his lack of size. Furthermore, there is no telling if he will continue to improve as a playmaker or revert to his old style of play.

Sexton has time to prove himself, but a role on the bench seems to be calling his name. This isn’t a bad thing as becoming a spark plug with the second unit can make him a valuable asset. To keep it simple, playing with the bench will reduce expectations and allow him to focus solely on the strengths of his game.

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