Few things are more certain than the New York Knicks pending point guard chase this summer, with all of Derrick Rose, Elfrid Payton, and Frank Ntilikina headed for free agency.
And after a season that saw them make a triumphant return to the playoffs, for the first time since 2013, they’re hoping that point guard will be a stark upgrade, too.
New York’s set to be operating with north of $50+ million in cap space this summer, and with that in mind, has been linked to any and every upcoming free agent.
One name that’s been linked to New York in recent days is that of Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Collin Sexton.
The eighth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, he’s coming off of a strong third-year campaign where he averaged 24.3 points, 4.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and one steal per game.
But speculation is mounting as to whether or not the Cavaliers will be willing to pay Sexton his next deal.
He’s currently eligible for a max rookie extension worth north of $168-million. But if Cleveland opts to bypass those talks, he’ll enter restricted free agency next summer.
Cue the New York Knicks, who according to recent reports, have their eyes on the 22-year old point guard.
Winfield: Knicks ‘Monitoring’ Sexton, Among Others
In his latest reporting for the New York Daily News, Kristian Winfield tied the New York Knicks to a number of names ahead of what they hope will be a “splashy” offseason.
It’s no secret that Leon Rose and the front office are keeping tabs on Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, and Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal, on the off chance they request a trade.
But as Winfield notes, the Knicks have a number of backup plans, including Collin Sexton:
If both the Trail Blazers and Wizards are uninterested in a deal, the source says the Knicks are also monitoring Cleveland’s Collin Sexton, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Charlotte’s Terry Rozier as younger guards the franchise can fold in its plans for the future.
Host of the Locked on Cavaliers podcast, Evan Dammarell, followed up and confirmed Winfield’s report:
The Miami Heat and New York Knicks are indeed monitoring the Collin Sexton situation in Cleveland, per sources.
With the third overall pick in this year’s draft, the Cavaliers could walk away with a top guard like Jalen Green or Jalen Suggs, likely making Sexton the odd man out.
But even if they opt for someone else, like big man Evan Mobley, there’s long been whispers around the NBA questioning the validity of a Cleveland backcourt also featuring Darius Garland.
The question isn’t “if” the Knicks would be interested in a trade for Sexton, but whether or not they have something that would interest the Cavaliers.
Does a Mitchell Robinson swap make sense for both sides? What about one of New York’s two first-round picks?
Sexton is Good for the Knicks, and Julius Randle Too
A 20 point-per-game scorer like Collin Sexton makes far too much sense for a New York Knicks team that was embarrassed in the playoffs by their downright inability to score the basketball.
If the 22-year old is on the table, Leon Rose and company should be finding a way to get a deal (within reason) done.
Arguably the biggest concern for New York walking into this offseason is how Julius Randle will handle playing next to a true point guard on a nearly full-time basis.
Will he be the same player when his 29.3 usage rate dips back to league average? Can he have the same effect on the game without the ball in his hands for what felt like 99 percent of the time all season?
But that’s just it.
There’s an argument he could be the same player alongside a guard like Sexton.
The 22-year old wouldn’t necessarily take the ball out of Randle’s hands, but more so provide him a reliable ball handler to defer to in double-team situations, or less than favorable matchups.
Of which he saw many, in their first-round playoff blunder against the Atlanta Hawks.
There’s a reason why Sexton’s 4.4 assists per game average ranked 34th among all qualified starting guards this season per NBA.com’s Stats Tracking.
He’s more comfortable driving to the rim, but still able to make the necessary reads in basic offensive sets.
And that’s exactly why Derrick Rose was such a crucial addition for this year’s Knicks team; his ability to drive the offense when Randle was off the floor, and his scoring presence in both the mid-range and at the rim.
A point guard rotation featuring Collin Sexton and Derrick Rose could help to maximize not only the New York Knicks’ offense but also the All-NBA talent they’ve stumbled upon in Julius Randle.
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Knicks ‘Monitoring’ Young PG’s Situation in Cleveland: Report