NBA Trade Rumors: OKC Thunder join the Collin Sexton sweepstakes
The OKC Thunder continue to dominate NBA trade rumors, with the latest reports suggesting they are interested in acquiring Collin Sexton from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Cavs are looking to trade Sexton, who is extension-eligible this off-season. He is likely looking for a max-extension, which Cleveland may be reluctant to offer him. That's because the Cavs have Darius Garland in their ranks, with Garland being perceived to be a better playmaker than Collin Sexton.
The 2016 NBA champions also have to offer free agent Jarrett Allen a lucrative deal to stay with them this summer, making it increasingly difficult to offer Collin Sexton an extension. If they end up offering both players deals over $100 million, it will take a severe hit on their salary-cap flexibility for the foreseeable future.
Moreover, they are yet to figure out a way to get rid of Kevin Love's $31.2 million contract for next season.
Reports in the past have suggested that Collin Sexton's Cleveland teammates have been frustrated by the player's ball-dominant style of play. While Sexton may not fit into the Cavs' plans, there is no denying that he has huge potential.
He averaged a career-high 24.3 points and 4.4 assists on 57% true shooting last season. According to NBA trade rumors, the New York Knicks are also heavily interested in his services.
NBA Trade Rumors: OKC Thunder intrigued by the pairing of Collin Sexton and Shai-Gilgeous Alexander
The OKC Thunder appear to be the latest team to show interest in Collin Sexton. He fits the bill for the team in multiple ways. From a roster perspective, he matches the timeline of the Thunder's squad. Sexton is only 22 and has the best years of his career ahead of him.
The OKC Thunder have a high-potential playmaking guard - Shai Gigeous-Alexander - in their ranks. The franchise thinks Sexton could be a great fit alongside Alexander. As reported by Evan d'Amarell of FearTheSword in this regard:
"Confirming the reporting out there that the Oklahoma City Thunder could be a trade destination for Cleveland Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton. A source says the Thunder like the pairing of Sexton with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and have the draft picks in order to make a deal happen."
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Collin Sexton could form a solid backcourt pairing for the foreseeable future. The OKC Thunder are projected to have a significant amount of cap space ($37 million) available in the summer, so offering Sexton an extension shouldn't be a problem for them.
As for the trade assets, the OKC Thunder have a bevy of draft capital available, which they could offer to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Collin Sexton, as mentioned by d'Amarell in his aforementioned report.
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