How a Collin Sexton trade to Washington Wizards could work

The NBA landscape could still shake up in a big way, depending on how the Brooklyn Nets handle Kevin Durant’s demands. Perhaps a resolution in Brooklyn could help current Cleveland Cavaliers restricted free agent Collin Sexton gain more clarity regarding his own future.

After being forced to miss 71 games with a torn meniscus, Sexton hasn’t found a very warm market in free agency. Hoping to land a contract reportedly nearing $20 million per season, the current belief is that the Cavs are hoping to retain the talented scorer for a lot less.

While any team could step up and present Sexton with an offer sheet at any time, the available cap space around the league continues to dry up. As Spotrac displays, only two teams have a positive amount of cap space. Yet both organizations aren’t in a position to compete, meaning they likely don’t want to spend their money on Sexton, who will undoubtedly reduce their chances to land a top lotto pick next season.

As the calendar pages continue to turn, Sexton continues to wait. While a new contract could come for Sexton at any moment from the Cavs, another possibility is a trade to a new destination. As Sam Amico of HoopsWire mentioned, the Washington Wizards have looked into adding Sexton to their core.

How could a Sexton trade to the Wizards look on paper? Let’s dive in.

Collin Sexton trade to Wizards centers around potential

NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors — Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Wizards trade: 2024 first-round pick, Corey Kispert, Rui Hachimura
Cavaliers trade: Collin Sexton

Obviously the Cleveland Cavaliers aren’t willing to give Sexton away. He’s a homegrown player who’s already proven to be a strong fit with the existing group, averaging 24.3 points per game in the 2020-21 season.

But Sexton’s not their first, second, or even third most valuable asset. Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are the big three in Cleveland, and while Sexton could help form a big-four of sorts, they may be better off long-term by trading their 23-year-old guard. With eventual upcoming paydays on the way for Garland and Mobley, affording Sexton too may simply not be in the cards.

For now the Cavs appear to be playing hardball with Sexton, by extending him a lowball offer, and essentially asking other teams to exceed their price. Yet they also know any team offering just a few million more will probably just cause the Cavs to match that too. In other words, it may take a bit of an overpay to pry him from the Cavs.

But if they could part with Sexton by receiving some valuable assets in return? That might pique Cleveland’s interest. This could be the opening the Wizards need to make a deal happen.

We don’t know if Corey Kispert or Rui Hachimura will ever reach their ceiling. So if the opportunity to swap both for a proven talent in Sexton, one that could likely still improve too, has to be enticing. Trading future first-round picks is never ideal, but in this case they get a player well worth a first-round selection.

Pairing Sexton with Bradley Beal in the backcourt would give the Wizards a dynamic scoring duo few others could rival. They’d still have Monte Morris, whether it’s as a starter or a third guard, and would have Johnny Davis to mix in as well, without relying on his likely inconsistencies too much as a rookie.