Things may not be looking as bright as Collin Sexton had hoped.
The Cavaliers guard is a restricted free agent and could end up returning to Cleveland. But the amount he will sign for is in question, and the Cavs seem to have a leg up in the situation.
Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor published a story on Wednesday about the Cavs’ free agency situation. He says that the Cavs are hoping to reach a long-term deal with Sexton, who was the No. 8 overall pick in 2018.
Sexton is hoping for an annual salary of at least $20 million, while the Cavs think a number in the low-to-mid teens is more appropriate, according to Fedor.
The market seems to favor Cleveland, which also has the option to match any contract Sexton signs elsewhere. So far, no big deal that Sexton was hoping for has materialized.
Sexton apparently is considering signing his qualifying offer and playing for the discounted $7.2 million price in order to become a free agent after the season.
Sexton is entering his fifth NBA season and seemed in line for a bigger contract after averaging 24.3 points per game two seasons ago. The problem is he is recovering from a November surgery on his left knee to repair a torn meniscus that limited him to 11 games in the 2021-2022 season. Sexton’s role on the team likely won’t be as large as it was in the past thanks to the emergence of Darius Garland and the re-signing of veteran guard Ricky Rubio.
