How Knicks' Pursuit Of Collin Sexton Could Impact Mavs
DALLAS - It's no secret the New York Knicks will be in the market for a point guard this offseason. If there's a starting point guard who will be a free agent or available via trade, they are going to be linked as a potential landing spot.
The latest example is Collin Sexton, who is set to become a restricted free agent. According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Knicks are the 'most aggressive trade suitor' for the point guard.
The Knicks are the most aggressive trade suitor for Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton, sources said. Sexton is eligible for his rookie extension this offseason, and with one year left on his deal, it allows Cleveland to continue to be patient in constructing the roster.
Sexton is coming off a strong 2020-21 campaign that features averages of 24.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. There are concerns regarding how he involves his teammates within the half-court throughout games, however.
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Meanwhile, despite relying heavily on Elfrid Payton as the team's starting point guard, the Knicks managed to put together a strong season. New York finished with a 41-31 record, which trailed only the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, and Milwaukee Bucks among all Eastern Conference teams.
It's a big offseason for the Knicks after coming off a surprisingly successful season. While coming up short in the opening round of the NBA playoffs at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks, New York displayed a need for an upgrade at point guard. Seemingly, this will be a priority for the Knicks to address.
Given how the Knicks own multiple of the Mavericks' first-round NBA Draft picks, it's difficult to envision Dallas being able to beat New York in a potential trade offer with the Cavaliers. So how does this impact Dallas? Well, let's take a deeper look beneath the surface ...
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For the Mavericks' pursuit of a secondary ball handler to pair with Luka Doncic, the Knicks will be a key landing spot that will impact the remaining options. New York has the cap space, location, and personal branding opportunities that are unmatched on the market.
For Sexton, in particular, the attraction of the Knicks is an important factor to take into consideration since the Cavaliers can only trade him in a sign-and-trade to a team he signs his offer sheet with in restricted free agency. He will face a competitive market with no shortage of options.
The Knicks will need to keep tabs on the pending free agency of Derrick Rose, who will also be a hot commodity in his own right. He has masterfully filled the sixth-man role off-the-bench, but are they willing to pay both he and an expensive starting point guard?
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Names in free agency like Mike Conley, Lonzo Ball, Dennis Schroder, and Spencer Dinwiddie among others will all be point guard options for the Knicks this offseason. However, only one has the potential to truly end up landing in New York, which opens up some intriguing options for the Mavericks to consider.
Conley, in particular, is a name that both the Knicks and Mavericks have both been directly linked to in advance of free agency.
Keep in mind, the trade market for the point guard position changes if the Knicks land Sexton, too. Teams with names like Kemba Walker, Malcolm Brogdon, CJ McCollum, D'Angelo Russell, Terry Rozier, and John Wall, to name a few, all end up with weaker leverage with New York no longer in the market for a point guard.
The impact of the Knicks' potential pursuit of Collin Sexton goes beyond just this offseason. New York has been linked as a potential suitor for Jalen Brunson in 2022 NBA free agency and surely would not be in the market for him if they land Sexton this offseason.
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