Collin Sexton has a new team, and a new contract. On Thursday, Sexton was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Utah Jazz as part of the package that landed three-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell in Cleveland. In addition to Sexton, the Cavs also traded Lauri Markkanen, Ochair Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps to Utah in order to complete the blockbuster deal.
As part of the trade, Sexton is signing a four-year, $72 million contract with the Jazz, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. The deal is fully guaranteed, and will keep Sexton, 23, in a Jazz jersey for the foreseeable future. Sexton was a restricted free agent, and had not yet agreed to any sort of extension or new deal with Cleveland.
The Cavs originally selected Sexton with the eighth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, and he was named to the All-Rookie Second Team in 2019. He started in all but 10 games for Cleveland over his first three seasons in the league, but he was limited to just 11 total games last season after he tore his meniscus in November.
Due to the injury and the coinciding emergence of All-Star guard Darius Garland, Sexton’s future in Cleveland became a bit murky. Now, he’ll get a fresh start in Utah.
Over the course of his career, Sexton has averaged 20 points, 3.3 assists and three rebounds per game, while shooting 45 percent from the floor and 37 percent from long range. During the ’20-21 season he averaged over 24 points and four assists per performance. In Utah, he should again get the opportunity to produce at a high level for a Jazz team that now finds itself squarely in the midst of a rebuild.