NBA Rumors: Insider claims he was told multiple times Pat Riley ‘likes’ Cavs guard amidst contract stand-off
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton is currently a restricted free agent who is eyeing a massive payday. Pat Riley's Miami Heat are reportedly lurking. Sexton has not signed a new contract, and the franchise from South Beach is reportedly interested in adding him.
According to The Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, the Miami Heat are interested in Collin Sexton. The president of basketball operations, Pat Riley, is a fan of the young guard. One of Fischer's sources in the organization told him how high Riley regards Collin Sexton.
"I had kept hearing, ‘Pat Riley likes Collin Sexton. Pat Riley likes Sexton,’ from one person that I trust who knows things,"NBA insider Jake Fischer said.
Multiple reports earlier this summer indicated that Sexton was looking for an offer that would earn him around $20 million a year. However, no such offer has come in. The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly offered around $40 million for three years.
NBA insider Sam Amico reported that the franchise and the player are at a stalemate. The Cavs are asking Sexton to find a better offer than the one they offered.
Wine and Gold Talk Podcast: I’m joined by the terrific @JakeLFischer to discuss the latest between #Cavs & Collin Sexton, what makes the situation so complicated and the most likely outcome. We also hit on LeBron’s upcoming decision & where KD will play
cleveland.com/cavs/2022/08/j…
The Miami Heat, on the other hand, have been linked with Kevin Durant, Donovan Mitchell and Kyrie Irving. While no move has materialized, Durant has reportedly touted Miami as one of his preferred destinations.
Do Pat Riley and the Miami Heat need Collin Sexton?
Collin Sexton had career-highs in many categories during the 2020-21 NBA season. Many expected him to lead the way for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2021-22 season. However, the guard suffered a torn meniscus at the start of the season, effectively ending his year.
Sexton last played during the 2020-21 season. Sexton averaged 24.3 points and 4.4 assists. He shot the ball better than 47% from the field and over 37% from the perimeter. The guard played over 60 games that season.
Collin Sexton is the first player in @cavs history to score 20+ points in each of his first 10 games of the season. https://t.co/9iYzUAb7qZ
The Miami Heat need a bonafide superstar, an MVP-caliber player to pair alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Collin Sexton is not that player. Hence, the Heat's interest in Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell.
The franchise from South Beach already possesses a strong group of guards. Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and Kyle Lowry all play significant minutes in the backcourt. This backlog would hinder Sexton's impact on the game.
It makes no sense to pay $20 million a year for a player if he isn't going to be in your starting backcourt. However, a deal could make sense if Sexton signs for less and the Heat trade for Donovan Mitchell.