toooskies wrote:jbk1234 wrote:ijspeelman wrote:
I think it can be argued Seth > Sexton is more beneficial for the team in its current state. We are missing players who are good without the ball and make the defense think harder about what they are doing. My fear with Sexton is that he will not learn to play well off-ball. Without any empirical evidence, this could be why he struggled in his small sample size this year.
I have the same fear. If the Cavs retain him, it needs to be with the understanding he's going to be a sixth man here, and whatever he's paid, needs to reflect that reality.
That may be your reality, but I don't know what led you to the conclusion that the Cavs' front office has decided that's theirs. I could see any of Sexton/LeVert/Okoro start, and I don't believe LeVert or Okoro did anything to make anyone believe they're definitely that guy going into the offseason.
As far as Sexton's shooting slump, it's just as easily the case that his shooting slump was due to the league changing the ball (throwing off more than one other NBA player to start the year, including Lillard and Beal) and the officiating rules (throwing off more than one other NBA player to start the year, including Harden and Trae Young).
Or maybe it was just a shooting slump. It isn't like Sexton was a better shooter off the dribble in the past-- 40% catch-and-shoot in 2020-21, 31% on pull-ups. (Around 25% in both in 21-22.) Similar difference in previous years. I kind of doubt it was only just the offense.
Allen averaged 10 FGA per game, Mobley 12, Lauri 11.5, Okoro 6.4, and Garland 17.3.
In his last full season, Sexton averaged 18.5 FGA per game and that didn't include his 6.4 FTA. Even if you give Sexton all of Okoro's attempts, 2.3 of Garland's, and 1.5 of Lauri's, then he's at roughly 10 FGA per game.
After that, he probably starts eating into shots you want his teammates taking instead. Given his defensive limitations, and I don't see he how starts. The shots won't be there and he needs them to break even in terms of net impact. Now if he's on the floor every time Garland rests, if he subs in for Okoro or Lauri some of the time, I think you can get him up to 15 FGA per game. But that's a sixth man role.