Cavs’ Collin Sexton: Cleveland Is Where I Want To Stay

CLEVELAND — There have been some questions about Collin Sexton and his future with the Cavaliers, mostly because Sexton will be a restricted free agent this summer.

But also because the Cavs formed a very obvious Big Three of young guns while Sexton missed all but 11 games with a knee injury. Those three: All-Star point guard Darius Garland, All-Star center Jarrett Allen and Rookie of the Year candidate Evan Mobley.

On top of all that, the Cavs went out and traded for someone who plays Sexton’s position in Caris LeVert. 

So things have really changed since Sexton went down. 

That means nothing to Sexton. The Cavs are all about fit, and he says meets that criteria. Given how Sexton did indeed fit in when healthy, and the way he supported his teammates on their run to the play-in tournament, it’s easy to believe he still belongs.

Mostly, he said Cleveland is where he wants to be.

“I love the organization, love my teammates and whatever happens, I know that Cleveland was really good to me,” Sexton told reporters. “I know this is the place that helped me get to where I am today, and I know I want to continue to be a part of this winning culture and be a part of this culture.

“I feel like me just being able to be at the start of it helped us get to where we are yesterday and where we are right now at the present. So, I love Cleveland. I want to be here.”

Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman indicated the feeling is mutual, saying he thinks Sexton and LeVert can survive together just fine. Of Sexton specifically, Altman said that “in a lot of ways, he’s the reason we’re here.”

Sexton, 23, led the Cavs in scoring at 24.1 points in 2021-22. He took a very obvious step back in shot attempts when he played this season, his scoring average dropping to 16 points. But he did it for the good of the team.

Interestingly, he switched representation to Rich Paul and Klutch Sports. That is the same agency that represents Garland. Paul is a a product of Cleveland and may be very much in favor of both of his clients playing for the rising Cavs.

Basically, there are plenty of reasons for the Cavs to keep Sexton and Sexton to want to play for the Cavs, and only the Cavs.

Right now, his main goal is to get 100 percent healthy, take part in offseason team activities and start being the consistent point-producer the Cavs could still use.

“I feel better every day,” he said. “As long as I get better 1 percent each and every day I wake up, then it’s a win-win. I just continue to just know that some days are gonna be better than others and just continue to know that I will be full go, and I know I’ll be 100 percent.

“So, that’s one thing that I can really look forward to and say that I have confidence in myself, and I have confidence in the people that’s working with me to get me back to where I was, (being) even much better and jumping a lot higher.”