Sexton, Summer League, and youngins

[yoyoboy]

Clearly you are just making **** up now...keep dreaming

Man, I have literally watched every finish that Sexton has attempted this year at Alabama in synergy, when he can load up on the open court and can take that force from running into blowing by guys cause of eating space, he can rise and finish, in half-court? no chance, he is basically trying to buy FTs, he isn't going to be finishing over guys in the NBA out of PnR

He is a solid athlete with some really cool coordination and instinctual plays in terms of carving space or recognizing patterns to drive, but not a nuclear guy that can load up and soar, like a Dennis Smith

I disagree he cannot ,despite being able to blow by defenders and use his athleticism to create angles etc, Sexton showed he is one of the most explosive players in space esp off of two feet in this draft. Watch more film.

I think Fishcella is on point here. He's super quick, and if he gets an open lane in transition or just in the gym by himself he can really get up and show off the vertical, but he can't elevate in traffic well and that showed at Alabama but fortunately he relied on getting to the line a lot. It's really night and day when you look at uber athletic guards like Westbrook, Mitchell, Smith Jr, Oladipo, etc. It's no secret I've never been a fan of Sexton but I'll be rooting for him.

[Stillwater]

Man, I have literally watched every finish that Sexton has attempted this year at Alabama in synergy, when he can load up on the open court and can take that force from running into blowing by guys cause of eating space, he can rise and finish, in half-court? no chance, he is basically trying to buy FTs, he isn't going to be finishing over guys in the NBA out of PnR

He is a solid athlete with some really cool coordination and instinctual plays in terms of carving space or recognizing patterns to drive, but not a nuclear guy that can load up and soar, like a Dennis Smith

I disagree he cannot ,despite being able to blow by defenders and use his athleticism to create angles etc, Sexton showed he is one of the most explosive players in space esp off of two feet in this draft. Watch more film.

I think Fishcella is on point here. He's super quick, and if he gets an open lane in transition or just in the gym by himself he can really get up and show off the vertical, but he can't elevate in traffic well and that showed at Alabama but fortunately he relied on getting to the line a lot. It's really night and day when you look at uber athletic guards like Westbrook, Mitchell, Smith Jr, Oladipo, etc. It's no secret I've never been a fan of Sexton but I'll be rooting for him.

Fast break drives created by HIS DEFENSE most often became the highlight reels that those who are critiquing his half court game are utilizing because the plays were more entertaining for passive channel flippers.
Those assessments about him not being capable of quick burst 1/2 court athleticism without a head of steam are inaccurate.
The athletic ability is there, and he is only going to get better as he gets stronger. I have no doubt both of you will be eating crow in the long run.

[Truthful1]

So tell me about Sexton. Good pick? Did he go around his projected range? What’s he good and bad at?

really good at transition play, can surprise people with quicks, smart decisions with open space and def finishing
really good at finding open lanes in the halfcourt, almost like a RB, think Le'Veon Bell with his body control horizontally, ability to stop and go, move around guys, issue is, he gets to the middle but has no real burst unless he can take extra steps (like in transition, continuing acceleration) and he doesn't have craft around the rim, he got to the line a ton but it's unlikely to translate, he was just throwing himself at people hoping it will work
physical player, can run some PnR, not an advanced passer, but if he sees it, he can make it, much better in transition there obviously
issues on terms of been a full-time high usg% Guard, you want him with another initiator on your team 100%, he is not a guy that's good at controlling the tempo and the game
also an issue running PnR is that players can go under, his pull-up is hit&miss, much better from long 2 range, but that's not as useful, pretty rigid and mechanical, I think he is going to be a fine off-ball shooter in time, not diverse but able to spot up and attack close-outs

defense is super overrated, misses rotations, attack without regard for team defense, very on-ball focus, can have some presence there, but for the most part he needs real coaching and understanding

I like some of his foundation, but to me it's hard to envision his ceiling as a real difference maker as a PG, he is strong and has a nice frame, but not as big as PGs nor as explosive as PGs with his skills limitations.
He has some similarities with Eric Bledsoe, not as a strong, and Jeff Teague, but not as quick, so think something in between as a ceiling, might have a couple seasons in his prime as a top50 if lucky, maybe an All Star if in the right team (think Teague).

Issue is that if you are paying those guys from what they think they are worth, and with Sexton's pedigree and how the media likes him, he is likely to be overpaid his whole career, like if you can have some dudes for the minimum like certain rookies, or even MLE guys like Darren Collison, that's better allocation of resources than paying Jeff Teague (using him as a parallel) what he got, or Bledsoe.

If Sexton pans out, I'd trade him quick for a better asset.

The best scorers in the league always come in to it with a high level mid range game and he has that.
His ability to collapse defenses will definitely make his ability as a creator for others more obvious with more spacing
in the pros. He won't have to force the issue or take over games with solid players around him either, but can be relied a pon to do so as needed.
I think a lot of your critiques about his apparent limitations are short sighted, and although he has to become better like any rookie, the sky is the limit with the new Cav.
The great thing about Sexton is his work ethic is on par with the likes of Lillard another guard people liked to think wouldn't live up to the expectations.

Hate to be a Debbie Downer but the last time the Cavs drafted a player with a hard work ethic and potential, they ended up with TT who has not improved any part of his game since he was drafted so I question if he even has a work ethic. On the bright side, I watched a lot of video of Sexton and comparing his potential to TT's is just wrong. He is way more athletic and coordinated than TT is or ever will be. TT still looks like he never picked up a basketball a day in his life. If Sexton turns out like Lilliard, he is a steal.


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[Stillwater]

Decent start in sl for the young bull.
dimes will be added once team starts making the looks he gave them.

[jbk1234]

I liked what I saw from Billy Preston. He's a good candidate for a two-way deal IMO.

[jbk1234]

And a couple of hours later...

Read on Twitter

[Stillwater]

really good at transition play, can surprise people with quicks, smart decisions with open space and def finishing
really good at finding open lanes in the halfcourt, almost like a RB, think Le'Veon Bell with his body control horizontally, ability to stop and go, move around guys, issue is, he gets to the middle but has no real burst unless he can take extra steps (like in transition, continuing acceleration) and he doesn't have craft around the rim, he got to the line a ton but it's unlikely to translate, he was just throwing himself at people hoping it will work
physical player, can run some PnR, not an advanced passer, but if he sees it, he can make it, much better in transition there obviously
issues on terms of been a full-time high usg% Guard, you want him with another initiator on your team 100%, he is not a guy that's good at controlling the tempo and the game
also an issue running PnR is that players can go under, his pull-up is hit&miss, much better from long 2 range, but that's not as useful, pretty rigid and mechanical, I think he is going to be a fine off-ball shooter in time, not diverse but able to spot up and attack close-outs

defense is super overrated, misses rotations, attack without regard for team defense, very on-ball focus, can have some presence there, but for the most part he needs real coaching and understanding

I like some of his foundation, but to me it's hard to envision his ceiling as a real difference maker as a PG, he is strong and has a nice frame, but not as big as PGs nor as explosive as PGs with his skills limitations.
He has some similarities with Eric Bledsoe, not as a strong, and Jeff Teague, but not as quick, so think something in between as a ceiling, might have a couple seasons in his prime as a top50 if lucky, maybe an All Star if in the right team (think Teague).

Issue is that if you are paying those guys from what they think they are worth, and with Sexton's pedigree and how the media likes him, he is likely to be overpaid his whole career, like if you can have some dudes for the minimum like certain rookies, or even MLE guys like Darren Collison, that's better allocation of resources than paying Jeff Teague (using him as a parallel) what he got, or Bledsoe.

If Sexton pans out, I'd trade him quick for a better asset.

The best scorers in the league always come in to it with a high level mid range game and he has that.
His ability to collapse defenses will definitely make his ability as a creator for others more obvious with more spacing
in the pros. He won't have to force the issue or take over games with solid players around him either, but can be relied a pon to do so as needed.
I think a lot of your critiques about his apparent limitations are short sighted, and although he has to become better like any rookie, the sky is the limit with the new Cav.
The great thing about Sexton is his work ethic is on par with the likes of Lillard another guard people liked to think wouldn't live up to the expectations.

Hate to be a Debbie Downer but the last time the Cavs drafted a player with a hard work ethic and potential, they ended up with TT who has not improved any part of his game since he was drafted so I question if he even has a work ethic. On the bright side, I watched a lot of video of Sexton and comparing his potential to TT's is just wrong. He is way more athletic and coordinated than TT is or ever will be. TT still looks like he never picked up a basketball a day in his life. If Sexton turns out like Lilliard, he is a steal.


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Thompson shouldn't have been drafted for work ethic,never heard that myself, but was drafted for motor and rebounding. There is a huge difference and Sexton has both a high Motor and an elite work ethic. Thompson to his credit has developed a better work ethic than he had coming in, but his motor has fallen off sans playoffs, so I don't expect much from him at all going forward

[yoyoboy]

I hate to say it but I'm not impressed by Sexton so far. His playmaking/floor general skills aren't great, his shot has looked like it has a long way to go, and he can't finish for his life. It's not a good sign that the shot he seems most comfortable taking is the long two. Didn't like him before the draft as a prospect and nothing's changed my mind so far, but it's still early I guess. I just think we really reached on him.

Zizic's post moves are so crazy advanced but I'm worried he's a dinosaur in an age of speed and versatility. His stamina is pretty bad and he gets lost in PnR situations on defense.

It sucks that Cedi didn't play tonight. He looked so much more confident last game than any other time I've seen him. Hopefully he keeps working on his shot. Once he gets that down, the sky is the limit for the kid.

[jbk1234]

I hate to say it but I'm not impressed by Sexton so far. His playmaking/floor general skills aren't great, his shot has looked like it has a long way to go, and he can't finish for his life. It's not a good sign that the shot he seems most comfortable taking is the long two. Didn't like him before the draft as a prospect and nothing's changed my mind so far, but it's still early I guess. I just think we really reached on him.

Zizic's post moves are so crazy advanced but I'm worried he's a dinosaur in an age of speed and versatility. His stamina is pretty bad and he gets lost in PnR situations on defense.

It sucks that Cedi didn't play tonight. He looked so much more confident last game than any other time I've seen him. Hopefully he keeps working on his shot. Once he gets that down, the sky is the limit for the kid.

Sexton's 19 and it's summer league. I don't see him as a Kyrie-level player though. Rozier, Bledsoe, or, if the Cavs are lucky, Conley are better comps.

[yoyoboy]

I hate to say it but I'm not impressed by Sexton so far. His playmaking/floor general skills aren't great, his shot has looked like it has a long way to go, and he can't finish for his life. It's not a good sign that the shot he seems most comfortable taking is the long two. Didn't like him before the draft as a prospect and nothing's changed my mind so far, but it's still early I guess. I just think we really reached on him.

Zizic's post moves are so crazy advanced but I'm worried he's a dinosaur in an age of speed and versatility. His stamina is pretty bad and he gets lost in PnR situations on defense.

It sucks that Cedi didn't play tonight. He looked so much more confident last game than any other time I've seen him. Hopefully he keeps working on his shot. Once he gets that down, the sky is the limit for the kid.

Sexton's 19 and it's summer league. I don't see him as a Kyrie-level player though. Rozier, Bledsoe, or, if the Cavs are lucky, Conley are better comps.

WCJ looked legit tonight. It's a shame the Nets are such tryhards and weren't slightly worse for us to get a better pick.

[Stillwater]

It's way too early to start having concerns about Sexton. He was never the dynamic ball handler that Irving is, no one is.
With the uptempo offense we will be running he will be effective even as a rook. I don't agree with the concern given he is surrounded by bad shooters etc in sl.
There isn't one player taken after him that would have done anything more effectively than he has, given what is around him in sl.
I think by the end of sl we will see how quickly he can adapt to minimal talent around him with no set offense yet still gave them opportunities.

[jbk1234]

I hate to say it but I'm not impressed by Sexton so far. His playmaking/floor general skills aren't great, his shot has looked like it has a long way to go, and he can't finish for his life. It's not a good sign that the shot he seems most comfortable taking is the long two. Didn't like him before the draft as a prospect and nothing's changed my mind so far, but it's still early I guess. I just think we really reached on him.

Zizic's post moves are so crazy advanced but I'm worried he's a dinosaur in an age of speed and versatility. His stamina is pretty bad and he gets lost in PnR situations on defense.

It sucks that Cedi didn't play tonight. He looked so much more confident last game than any other time I've seen him. Hopefully he keeps working on his shot. Once he gets that down, the sky is the limit for the kid.

Sexton's 19 and it's summer league. I don't see him as a Kyrie-level player though. Rozier, Bledsoe, or, if the Cavs are lucky, Conley are better comps.

WCJ looked legit tonight. It's a shame the Nets are such tryhards and weren't slightly worse for us to get a better pick.

Mikal Bridges could be the guy the Cavs regret passing on IMO. But the truth of the matter is you have to let these young guys play for a couple years and then decide where everybody's at. Those TT v. JV and Harrison Barnes v. Waiters debates turned out to be debates over who picked the better role player

[Revenged25]

Sexton's 19 and it's summer league. I don't see him as a Kyrie-level player though. Rozier, Bledsoe, or, if the Cavs are lucky, Conley are better comps.

WCJ looked legit tonight. It's a shame the Nets are such tryhards and weren't slightly worse for us to get a better pick.

Mikal Bridges could be the guy the Cavs regret passing on IMO. But the truth of the matter is you have to let these young guys play for a couple years and then decide where everybody's at. Those TT v. JV and Harrison Barnes v. Waiters debates turned out to be debates over who picked the better role player

I think the difference is Bridges will be better immediately but his ceiling isn't great, Sexton though will be worse to start but has a much higher ceiling. Just a matter of which do you want.

[Stillwater]

WCJ looked legit tonight. It's a shame the Nets are such tryhards and weren't slightly worse for us to get a better pick.

Mikal Bridges could be the guy the Cavs regret passing on IMO. But the truth of the matter is you have to let these young guys play for a couple years and then decide where everybody's at. Those TT v. JV and Harrison Barnes v. Waiters debates turned out to be debates over who picked the better role player

I think the difference is Bridges will be better immediately but his ceiling isn't great, Sexton though will be worse to start but has a much higher ceiling. Just a matter of which do you want.

Every player from Ayton to Kostas / 1-60 has issues than need improving , such as Sexton needing to add some finesse to his finishing and to improve his ability to go left. Sexton also has the work ethic and athleticism to become a much more complete player and refine his abilities as a facilitator to become a high level floor general. Right now he is a combo guard & more skilled at getting to the line than anything else along with creating transition points. Whether he reaches his ceiling or not is yet to be determined, obviously ,
but there is nothing he has shown in 2 summer league games that should make anyone think he isn't the same high ceiling player he was before we drafted him.
Mikal is much older , more refined as a result and by all accounts the safest pick in the lottery and would have made sense only if James was staying as a reliable 2-way player that can knock down 3's and defend...but his ability to create / initiate offense is even now no upgrade in any way to Sexton despite being farther along in his development curve.

[yoyoboy]

Sexton's shot is really ugly. And his handles look really limited by those small hands. I wonder if we would've gone with SGA if he didn't say he didn't want to come to Cleveland.

Today was his best game, but I don't see how he's going to be an efficient scorer or above average playmaker in the NBA. His defense has looked really bad as well but I would venture lack of strength is the biggest reason for that. It is good to know he works hard on his game I guess.

[Stillwater]

Sexton will be better than young or sga...
The less than an inch difference in hand width compared to young despite having longer hands then young is negligible. I'll take Sextons work ethic, teachability athleticism along with great length compared to Young's it3 length any day.
He's done well to create opportunity for others even if it doesn't show up in the box score in SL.

[KuruptedCav]

It’s summer league, everyone looks bad in summer league if you break them down. Competition is up, coaching is nil, and teammates are in name only.

The key is that the game isn’t too big or too fast for them.


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[Stillwater]

I just noticed that of the 2 non-guaranteed 2nd rounders Detroit picked up in the draft they have only signed Bruce Brown. So that means Khyri Thomas should absolutely be a target of this org right now... can't say it enough the defense is going to be elite from this kid

[Stillwater]

Another solid outing by the Young Bull.
Preston is an intriguing player as well, hopefully he sticks this season.

[CaptainCanada]

Sexton will be better than young or sga...
The less than an inch difference in hand width compared to young despite having longer hands then young is negligible. I'll take Sextons work ethic, teachability athleticism along with great length compared to Young's it3 length any day.
He's done well to create opportunity for others even if it doesn't show up in the box score in SL.

I think in the long term Sexton will be better than Young. Young I predict will have a career like Brandon Jennings; maybe good his first year but he will plateau. I'm Canadian, so I am hoping SGA will do really well.