Collin Sexton mock trade: Could rumored interest turn into another Charlotte Hornets deadline deal?

Collin Sexton has been stuck in NBA purgatory for the majority of his NBA career.

He spent four years on the post-LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers, three years on the post-Donovan Mitchell Utah Jazz, and is currently coming off the bench for the lottery-bound Charlotte Hornets. Sexton has played 428 games as a professional hooper and has been all but eliminated from playoff contention for the majority of them.

The dude is a ridiculous competitor and one of the league's more emotive players, and he deserves his Patrick Beverly moment: a chance to beat his chest on the scorer's table after finally breaking through on a big stage.

Thankfully for Sexton, a recent report from renowned NBA insider Jake Fischer makes it seem like he could get the chance to suit up for a contender.

According to Fischer, the Minnesota Timberwolves, have 'conducted some diligence ' on Sexton. He went on to report that Charlotte is 'open for business to some degree,' but '...still clings to hope that it can be a Play-In team.'

If Charlotte does move Sexton at the deadline, Minnesota is an intriguing franchise to make a deal with. The Timberwolves have championship aspirations as they attempt to break through to the NBA Finals after falling in the last two Western Conference Finals to Dallas and Oklahoma City.

With an aging Mike Conley, a green Rob Dillingham, and the mercurial Bones Hyland manning their point guard minutes behind Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo, the Wolves could use an upgrade in their back court. Here's how I believe a trade between the two sides could look.

Hornets receive: Mike Conley Jr ($10.7M expiring contract), Rob Dillingham ($6.5M, three-year contract), Leonard Miller ($2.2M, two-year minimum contract), 2026 second-round pick

Timberwolves receive: Collin Sexton ($18M expiring contract)

The Hornets do this to acquire Rob Dillingham.

Although the diminutive point guard has his warts, he would bring high pedigree to Charlotte and may benefit from a change of scenery. His shot creation skills are tantalizing and Dillingham brings a level of event creation on defense (steals specifically) that the Hornets' back court currently lacks.

For Minnesota, they could use Sexton's juice as a change-of-pace option off their bench. The Wolves starting five of Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, Jalen McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert is one of the league's premier groups, but Minnesota struggles when any of those five hit the bench.

Shot creation is sparse in Chris Finch's second-unit, and Sexton, albeit with some inefficiency, could be a band-aid for that problem.

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