The Cleveland Cavaliers have a lot of decisions to make about the future of their franchise. While they aren't necessarily rebuilding, they'll need to establish a new identity. Kevin Love will be the main centerpiece for the Cavs during this season, but one serious issue still needs to be addressed.
The team needs to establish who their primary ball handler will be this year. Of the four point guards that are currently on their current 15-man roster, one needs to emerge as a dominant floor general. Losing LeBron James to the Los Angeles Lakers will leave 27.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 9.1 assists unaccounted for nightly. While George Hill and Jordan Clarkson have solid NBA experience, Collin Sexton is the one intriguing prospect that is a huge part of the team's future plans.
Sexton was selected No. 8 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft out of the University of Alabama and is considered to be one of the top candidates to win Rookie of the Year. He's definitely a big part of the long-term plan for the Cavs franchise, but they need to decide if he should be a starter from the jump, or needs to be eased into things by playing behind veterans.
Hill averaged 9.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists last season. Despite logging over 27 minutes a game, he struggled to make a significant impact on a consistent basis. He has only averaged five assists once in his 10-year career and his scoring can be replaced.
Clarkson in a scoring guard that is more of a threat than Hill on the offensive end. He is a talented athlete but has a shaky shot selection. The Cavs need consistency at the point guard position. Derrick Rose, Deron Williams, and Isaiah Thomas are just a few of the guards they tried to fill the void. Losing Kyrie Irving hurt them last year, but Sexton has the tools to be an All-Star in the future. He has a couple of characteristics that distinguish him from the other guards on the roster.
Physicals
Sexton measured in at a little over 6-foot-1 with a 6-foot-7 wingspan at the 2018 NBA Combine. While his height isn't the most desirable, he's got the quickness, length, and explosiveness to make up for it. He isn't just quick. He's got lightning speed. Sexton showcased this all year at Alabama, especially when he went coast to coast against to score a game-winning floater to beat Texas A&M and ensure his team's place in March Madness.
Sexton has probably bulked up a little bit this summer. The 19-year-old will definitely continue to fill out as he matures. He weighed in at 183 lbs at the combine in May.
Mentality
In basketball today, fans typically know the top prep stars as soon as they start high school. Sexton played on the highly touted Nike EYBL circuit but was unknown on the national scene heading into his junior year. His tremendous work ethic and dedication to developing his skill helped him average 29 points a game in his junior year of high school. He also led the EYBL circuit in scoring that year that year by scoring 31.7 points a game, going from unknown to nationally ranked in the blink of an eye.
Sexton's determination and confidence in his abilities even earned him MVP honors for USA Basketball's FIBA World Cup champion team as a sixth man in 2016. He has a Jordanesque obsession for the game. This was evident when he flexed and grimaced at Josh Hart of the Los Angles Lakers as he defended him down the stretch of a close summer league game earlier this year.
Sexton's grit will carry over to the NBA and make him a very good player sooner than you think. His attitude — something that appealed to the Cavs brass during pre-draft workouts — will be contagious and energize the rest of his team.
Leadership
There was another talent on Alabama with Sexton, but there is no denying that the team wouldn't have made such an impressive postseason run without him. When nearly his entire team was ejected after a brawl, he torched Minnesota for 40 points while playing 3-on-5 basketball in one of the most bizarre games sports fans have seen in years.
While it was on a losing effort, it proved that he is relentless and unwavering in his pursuit of the hoop. Sexton averaged 19 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists at Alabama. He replicated these numbers when he averaged 19.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists in the Las Vegas Summer League. This isn't quite as intense as a real NBA game, but it's something to be excited about.
Conclusion
The Cavs have continued to audition free agent point guards as the regular season approaches, but their best option is already on the roster. If they give him the lion's share of the minutes at point guard, he should develop quickly and be a valuable piece for them down the road.
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