NBA Mock Trade: Thunder Acquire Cavs Guard Collin Sexton
With a loaded war chest of assets, the Oklahoma City Thunder could be looking to make a splash.
With 18 first round draft picks in the next 7 drafts, the Thunder will have the flexibility to grab any number of star-level players. The only question is who and for what timeline.
Aligning a star-level player with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could be one viable option.
Over the next few weeks, InsideTheThunder.com will be evaluating what it would take to land some of the top available talent in the NBA, and Collin Sexton seems to be one of the most readily available star-level players.
Here are SI Thunder’s thoughts on what it will take to trade for Cleveland's young guard:
Derek Parker: The idea of trading for Sexton might not be too tantalizing to Thunder fans, but if it came at the cost of little draft capital it could be valuable return in the future. Oklahoma City won't see a return on its 2021 investment for quite awhile, and Sexton could potentially be a good piece to get the ball rolling quicker. Fortunately for the Thunder, his trade value is at an all time low, whatever the reason. It's dependent on what Cleveland wants in return, but getting Sexton at a discounted price could be viable. One major downside to Sexton's situation, is that he could potentially be seeking a max deal following the 2021-22 season.
Nick Crain: Sexton would be a ton of fun in Oklahoma City, but at what cost? With the way the salary cap is set up, teams really can only have three max contract players at any given time. If Sexton truly wants a max, is he the perfect fit to take one of those three slots with the Thunder as they look to re-build a contender? That's what it'll come down to for any team who takes a look at Sexton. He's clearly an excellent player and one of the best young scorers in the league. What does he do outside of score the ball and in turn, how much are you willing to pay him to be a franchise cornerstone?
Ryan Chapman: The fascinating bit about acquiring Sexton would be that it will cost Oklahoma City on both the front end (in the actual trade) and the back end (when the Thunder have to negotiate the contract extension). Moving for Sexton would be a statement of intent, so that likely means OKC will have to give up someone else alongside Kemba Walker. The player that makes sense is Darius Bazley. He's shown flashes of being a great piece for the franchise, but his inconsistencies would make it a bit easier for the Thunder to move on
Oklahoma City's offer: Kemba Walker, Darius Bazley, Pick No. 16 and Pick No. 18 in exchange for Collin Sexton, Kevin Love.
