Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Collin Sexton left Sunday's game against the New York Knicks after suffering an injury to his left knee.

The 22-year-old has been excellent throughout his young career, averaging 20.2 points across his first three seasons. He posted career bests in points (24.2 PPG), assists (4.4 APG) and field-goal percentage (47.5 percent) in the 2020-21 season.

A series of injuries cost Sexton 12 games last season, though he's generally been healthy early in his career, playing every game in his first two seasons.

With the Alabama product set to become a restricted free agent after the 2021-22 season—and with Darius Garland capable of playing the point guard position—there were some reports that the Cavaliers might shop Sexton over the summer.

No deal came to fruition, though it's possible he could be put on the trade block again before the February trade deadline.

In the interim, look for Garland to serve as the primary playmaker on offense, while Cedi Osman is a candidate to slide into the starting lineup. Ricky Rubio should also see a bump in playing time.

The Cleveland Cavaliers announced Wednesday that forward Lauri Markkanen will enter the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

pic.twitter.com/WOnqiiGf8y

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 3, 2021

The Cavs placed fellow forward Kevin Love in the protocols Monday.

Markkanen showed flashes of becoming a high-impact player across four seasons with the Chicago Bulls, who selected the Arizona product with the seventh overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. His Bulls tenure ended in August when they dealt him to Cleveland in a sign-and-trade as part of a three-team deal with the Portland Trail Blazers.

He's averaged 12.9 points and 5.9 rebounds in eight games this season.

Injuries have held back the 24-year-old Finland native. He missed 59 games because of injury over his first three NBA seasons. He sat out 21 contests during his final year in Chicago because of calf and shoulder ailments.

Dean Wade figures to see the biggest increase in minutes while Markkanen is sidelined. It could also create chances for Cedi Osman and Lamar Stevens in the frontcourt rotation.

Markkanen's size and versatility make him an ideal power forward for the modern game. Cleveland didn't provide a timetable for his return to the active roster.

Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love has been put in the NBA's health and safety protocols and is "expected to miss several games," per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. 

Love is averaging 9.9 rebounds and 7.3 rebounds in 20.7 minutes across seven games this season.

The 33-year-old has missed considerable time in recent seasons. He played in only 25 games last year because of a calf injury, and he averaged only 12.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. His points were the fewest he's averaged since his rookie season, while his rebounds were a career-worst mark.

He also played only 22 games in the 2018-19 campaign due to a foot injury. He's played through back issues in recent years as well. 

Love was put on the USA Basketball roster for the Tokyo Olympics, but the calf issue had lingered enough that he was forced to withdraw from the team. 

"I am incredibly disappointed to not be heading to Tokyo with Team USA, but you need to be at absolute peak performance to compete at the Olympic level and I am just not there yet," he said in a statement in July.

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported at the time that it "became painfully obvious Love wouldn't be able to help the Americans."

He added: "He received limited action in two of the three tune-ups. His play was worrisome, struggling at both ends of the floor and looking old and slow, unable to create space to get clean looks at the hoop while finishing with more fouls than points. He looked completely out of place—the least effective player on the team."

Love's struggles to stay healthy—combined with the Cavaliers building around young players like Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, Jarrett Allen and Isaac Okoro—might spell the end of his time in Cleveland soon enough.

Look for starters Mobley and Lauri Markkanen to see even bigger minutes while Love is sidelined.

Evan Mobley didn't come away with a victory on Saturday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Cleveland Cavaliers rookie at least earned some high praise from The King.

LeBron James said Mobley is "going to be a damn good basketball player in this league" following the Lakers' 113-101 win, per Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor:

It's so crazy because he was just playing against my son a couple years ago. It's weird. It's getting more weird by the day. He was playing against my son in the playoffs two years ago and obviously we saw what he did in the tournament — just electrifying. Cleveland has a good one. They've done a good job over the years in the draft, I'll say.

Mobley had a team-high 23 points along with six rebounds, three assists and two steals for Cleveland.

The 20-year-old is averaging 15.3 points and 8.2 rebounds through six games. The Athletic's John Hollinger wrote how "it appears early on that all the hype about Mobley as a Chris Bosh 2.0 is legit."

After trading away Kyrie Irving and losing James to free agency, the Cavs have lacked a true foundational star. Collin Sexton isn't that kind of talent, and Darius Garland shows promise but doesn't appear to be an All-NBA guard in the making.

Mobley, on the other hand, is shaping up to be a dynamic two-way talent. Even if the Cavs miss the playoffs this season, they have reason to be really optimistic about their future for the first time since James left. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers stunned Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks 101-95 on Saturday to grab their first win of the season.

Collin Sexton continues to be a significant factor for the Cavs early on, but it was Evan Mobley and Ricky Rubio who stepped up to help Cleveland improve to 1-2 on the season.

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Notable Player Stats

Ricky Rubio, PG, CLE: 23 PTS, 6 REB, 8 AST, 1 STL

Trae Young, PG, ATL: 24 PTS, 1 REB, 7 AST, 3 STL

Evan Mobley, PF, CLE: 17 PTS, 11 REB, 1 AST, 4 BLK

Cam Reddish, SF, ATL: 19 PTS, 6 REB, 0 AST

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Evan Mobley Impresses with Double-Double

2021 third overall pick Evan Mobley is going to be a star.

In just his third game of the season, the 20-year-old recorded a double-double and was arguably the most impressive player on the court against the Hawks.

He had no interest in seeing the Cavs lose their third straight game to open the season, and he was dominant for stretches Saturday night. He was particularly impressive just before halftime and in the second half:

Making a living down low@evanmobley x #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/XfD5S7WJ8o

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 23, 2021

Ricky finds the Rookie 💪

Evan Mobley has 17 PTS, 11 REB and 4 BLK on NBA LP! #NBARooks pic.twitter.com/9e7ELhp3mc

— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2021

While the Hawks kept things close through two quarters, the Cavs began to pull away in the third. Mobley's performance helped put the Cavs up 83-72 entering the fourth quarter, a lead they never gave up.

The youngster's big night was all the more critical as Cedi Osman and Isaac Okoro had a relatively quiet evening, combining for just 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

Still, Mobley didn't do it all himself as the Cavs had several big contributors. Sexton, Ricky Rubio and Jarrett Allen were also effective against Atlanta, especially in the second half. They finished with a combined 46 points, 21 rebounds and 13 assists.

If Cleveland wants to continue winning games, they'll need similar performances from Rubio, Mobley and Co. as the season rolls on. The Cavs haven't made the postseason since the 2017-18 campaign, and while they aren't projected to do so this year, things are certainly looking up for the franchise.

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Big Performance from Cam Reddish Not Enough

One of the biggest storylines entering the 2021-22 season for the Hawks would be if Cam Reddish would take a step forward this season. After an impressive 20-point performance in Atlanta's season-opener against the Mavericks, Reddish did not disappoint Saturday night.

Aside from Young, the 22-year-old was without a doubt one of the Hawks' best players in Cleveland.

Reddish goes to the reverse 👀@ATLHawks and Cavaliers midway through Q3 on NBA LP!

📱💻: https://t.co/V0kkYEEIkG pic.twitter.com/tbVk3ZLsP7

— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2021

Reddish helped the Hawks keep things close for most of Saturday's game, but he didn't receive much help from anyone not named Young.

Bogdan Bogdanovic played particularly poorly, finishing with just five points, two rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes, while John Collins, Gorgui Dieng and Kevin Huerter were nearly invisible. The trio combined for 15 points, 21 rebounds and four assists.

The Hawks might have had a better chance if Onyeka Okongwu and Danilo Gallinari were available. Okongwu is expected to miss at least three more months after undergoing surgery this summer to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Gallinari is also dealing with a shoulder ailment.

Atlanta can't continue to rely solely on Young if it wants to win an NBA title this season and will need other players to step up to avoid similarly disappointing losses in the future.

Collins told Chris Kirschner of The Athletic before the season that he believes the Hawks are "real contenders" this year, and they have plenty of time to prove it.

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What's Next?

The Hawks move on to face the Detroit Pistons at home on Monday, while the Cavaliers will be on the road to take on the Denver Nuggets.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and point guard Collin Sexton failed to come to terms on a contract extension Monday, but it wasn't because of the 22-year-old's contract demands.

According to Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, Sexton's camp had hoped to receive a contract offer in the range of $100 million, but they were never stuck on that number. Sexton was reportedly willing to take less money, but the two sides couldn't come to an agreement.

The 2018 eighth overall pick is now set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2021-22 season. Despite not getting a new contract done, Sexton remained in good spirits in Tuesday's practice.

"He was the same guy,” Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of Sexton. "He was competing. He was doing all the things that we asked him to do that he's always done. His personality was good, his temperament was good. How he interacted with his teammates was good."

Sexton is entering his fourth NBA season. He averaged career highs in points (24.3), assists (4.4), minutes (35.3) and field-goal percentage (47.5) during the 2020-21 season.

Sexton admitted that he was disappointed but said he didn't want to let his teammates down.

"The approach is still the same," Sexton said. "I’m just coming in ready to work. We've got one goal and that's to win and get to the playoffs.

"I was disappointed," he added. "But that doesn't take away from the teammates itself. We're going to figure it out, and we're going to win basketball games together and have a good season."

The Cavaliers have finished with a record below .500 and missed the playoffs in each of the last three seasons. Sexton hopes to buck that trend this year.

Cleveland will begin its season Wednesday in a road matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies.     

The Cleveland Cavaliers and guard Collin Sexton did not come to an agreement on a rookie-scale contract extension before Monday's deadline, per Cavaliers reporter Kelsey Russo of The Athletic.

The 2018 eighth overall pick is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Sexton is coming off the best season of his NBA career during 2020-21. The 22-year-old Alabama product averaged career highs in points (24.3), assists (4.4), minutes (35.3) and field-goal percentage (47.5).

Sexton has started all but 10 of the 207 games he's played in his three-year career. Despite his offensive production, wins haven't been easy to come by for Cleveland during Sexton's tenure. The Cavaliers have finished with a record below .500 and missed the playoffs in each of the last three seasons.

Sexton was the only Cleveland player to average over 20 points last season. His backcourt partner Darius Garland, a first-round pick in 2019, was second on the team with an average of 17.4 points. Cleveland had hoped that Sexton and Garland would pair well together in a dual-point-guard system, but that hasn't worked out so far.

Nicknamed "Young Bull," Sexton starred at Alabama for one season before entering the NBA. He faced eligibility concerns after being linked to an FBI investigation into college basketball corruption. After his name was cleared, Sexton went on to average 19.2 points for the Crimson Tide.     

The Cleveland Cavaliers and center Tacko Fall agreed to a two-way contract Saturday, the team announced, per Kelsey Russo of The Athletic.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium first reported Fall nabbed the contract with strong play during training camp. The 7'5" big man was solid in limited minutes, including an eight-point, five-rebound effort in the Cavs' preseason finale against the Indiana Pacers.

Fall spent his first two NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics, averaging 2.7 points and 2.6 rebounds across 26 appearances. 

His size makes him nearly impossible to defend near the rim, though his game has clear limitations. He doesn't stretch the floor and lacks the lateral quickness to defend the perimeter on pick-and-rolls, though his length makes him a deterrent when he's able to hang back and protect the rim.

The Cavs roster is already littered with big men, so Fall will have a difficult avenue to receiving playing time. Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Lauri Markkanen and Kevin Love all expect to play significant minutes this season. Even an injury to any of those four players wouldn't carve out much room for Fall.

It's likely Fall will spend most of his time this season playing for the G League's Cleveland Charge. 

An anonymous NBA scout called Cleveland Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton, who was the focus of trade speculation throughout the offseason, an "assh--e" and said the team won't find success trying to play him alongside Darius Garland.

The unnamed talent evaluator provided his breakdown of the Cavs backcourt to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated on Friday:

I think Collin Sexton is a backup and an assh--e. None of his teammates like him. I like Garland. I actually like Garland. I think he plays hard. He puts pressure on you because he can shoot, he can pass, and he's a much more willing passer. He's not out there trying to f--king get his stats and go home in the same way that Sexton is. I don't think they can play those two small guards together and get a ton out of them.

Sexton has steadily improved across three NBA seasons since Cleveland selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2018 draft. 

The 22-year-old University of Alabama product averaged 24.3 points, 4.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 threes across 60 appearances last season. His shooting percentage, which was 43 percent as a rookie in 2018-19, was up to 47.5 percent in 2020-21.

His advanced numbers tell a similar story. He accumulated an unsightly -7.4 WAR as a rookie, but that number improved to -0.6 in his second season and moved into positive figures (0.3) last year, per FiveThirtyEight.

While Sexton's defense is still a concern, his vast improvement offensively has helped him become a plus player with plenty of room for continued development.

The trade talk that surrounded him for most of the summer faded as the regular season has moved closer, but it may resurface in the coming months.

"Cleveland had multiple good offers on the table for Sexton," a source told Evan Massey of the NBA Analysis Network last week. "I don't think we've heard the last of that. Around the trade deadline, I think it picks back up."

That idea contrasts what Cavs general manager Koby Altman said in September when he said the front office was interested in signing Sexton to a contract extension.

"We want him here long term. He wants to be here long term. We're working with his representation to see that through, but this is someone that has been with us since the start of this thing and we love him,' Altman told reporters. "We will deal with that behind closed doors. The feelings are mutual in terms of something long term."

If no deal is reached, Sexton can become a restricted free agent at season's end with a $8.6 million qualifying offer available to Cleveland, per Spotrac.

For now, the Georgia native remains a key cog in the Cavaliers lineup as they prepare to open the regular season Wednesday when they visit FedEx Forum to take on the Memphis Grizzlies.

Heading into the fourth year of their rebuild, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a roster full of oddly fitting young talent and one veteran who refuses to go away.

First let's rewind to this offseason's biggest developments: the Cavs selected USC big man Evan Mobley with the No. 3 overall pick, re-signed center Jarrett Allen to a five-year, $100 million deal and traded for veteran point guard Ricky Rubio. They also traded fan favorite Larry Nance Jr. to the Portland Trail Blazers in a three-team sign-and-trade for Lauri Markkanen, who signed a four-year, $67.5 million contract.

Collin Sexton, the team's leading scorer, popped up in trade rumors while the two sides try to work toward an extension. Ben Simmons became a trade target. 

Sexton, drafted in 2018 with the pick Cleveland acquired from the Boston Celtics for Kyrie Irving, has blossomed into one of the league's best young scoring guards.

The 22-year-old was one of only 12 players last season to average at least 24 points and four assists while shooting 37 percent or better from three. Sexton was the youngest player to do so, but he and Karl-Anthony Towns were the only names on that list not to be named an All-Star in 2021.

Despite his promising improvement, the Cavs haven't offered Sexton the max extension that fellow 2018 draft class stars Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Michael Porter Jr. have already signed. Sexton isn't on the level of these players, but he is due for a significant raise.

"We want him here long term," Cavs general manager Koby Altman said at media day Monday. "And he wants to be here long term. And so we're certainly working with his representation to see that through."

The Cavs have until Oct. 18 to agree to an extension with Sexton. If the two sides fail to reach a deal, he'll become a restricted free agent next summer.

What's more, Sexton's backcourt running mate Darius Garland projects to have the higher ceiling.

Garland, 21, took a huge leap last year to averaging 17.4 points and 6.1 assists while shooting 39.5 percent from three. He's the best playmaker and three-point shooter on Cleveland's roster, and perhaps its best hope for an All-Star this season.

Sexton's been with the Cavs for longer and was their leading scorer in each of the past two seasons, but the Sexton-Garland long-term fit remains murky. If the Cavs keep only one of the two moving forward, they would almost certainly choose Garland due to his potential, outside shooting and pure point guard skills.

      

Ricky Rubio's Impact on Both

The Cavaliers traded forward Taurean Prince, a second-round pick and cash to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Rubio this offseason to bring in a veteran presence behind both Garland and Sexton.

Rubio and Love are the only players on the roster above the age of 30, so Cleveland will need his leadership perhaps even more than his on-court contributions. The 11-year pro made a huge impact on 2020 No. 1 overall pick Anthony Edwards, who led all rookies in scoring last season.

"Rubio was fantastic for Ant," a Timberwolves coach told Bleacher Report. "Ant was asked about his defense one time and his answer was, 'Yeah, I know I've still got some work to do on my defense but Ricky's going to teach me. Ricky will teach me and then I'll be fine.'"

When asked what impact Rubio will have on Garland and Sexton now, the coach said: "Vet leadership. He will be vocal in games with young guys about good possessions, good and bad shots, time and score, when to push the ball, getting teammates involved. Coaches all preach this, but it's so valuable when young players get it from a peer as well."

For a Cavs team that rotated between Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Quinn Cook, Damyean Dotson, Brodric Thomas and others at backup point guard last season, Rubio should be a stabilizing presence off the bench.

        

Ben Simmons to the Rescue?

With Simmons and the Sixers seemingly headed for a split, the Cavs remain an interesting trade partner.

Garland and Simmons have spent time training together in recent summers, and they would be a strong fit given the former's willingness and ability to shoot. Meanwhile, Simmons could help cover for Garland's defensive weaknesses.

However, it would be tricky for Cleveland to put together a deal for the three-time All-Star. 

Sexton is the closest thing to an All-Star after he averaged a career-high 24.3 points per game last season. Love would likely have to be included for salary-matching purposes, but the Sixers would demand far more (Isaac Okoro, first-round picks) in return.

If anything, a three-team deal seems like the best possible way to get Simmons to Cleveland, with Sexton going to a rebuilding team and an All-Star rerouted to Philly. But adding Simmons to a roster that finished last in three-point accuracy last season (33.6 percent) doesn't seem ideal.

"Obviously, he's a really good player, mostly defensively," an NBA scout said. "I'm not sure he's a leader, seems to be a quiet personality that does his own thing. I would hesitate to give up a lot."

"He'd make [the Cavs] better, but you'll still need scoring, shooting and leadership," the scout added. "Best case, he has a huge chip on his shoulder and comes in to prove a point and show improvement in all areas. Worst case, he's the same player in a smaller media market and can just collect paychecks without all the pressure to win."

Simmons would be the best player on the Cavaliers, but acquiring him would be risky if it meant giving up multiple young players and future first-round picks.

             

Kevin Love and a Suddenly Crowded Frontcourt

Love has become the elephant in the (locker) room. The five-time All-Star started for the best teams in Cavaliers franchise history, but he may now be demoted to third on the power forward depth chart.

Both sides want a divorce (and have for years), but the marriage is being held together by the two years and $60.2 million remaining on Love's contract. Love's agent, Jeff Schwartz, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski this summer that he wasn't interested in a buyout.

"The buyout had never even come up," Love said Monday. "I think that's speculation. Sometimes s--t is thrown against the wall, and people are seeing who's going to read it and who's going to see it."

Love has played in only 103 of the Cavs' 219 games since signing his four-year, $120 million extension in 2018, and even the Cavs acknowledged on Monday that they aren't sure where he fits into the rotation. Love said he hadn't talked with anyone about his role or minutes yet, despite Altman noting that the two sides "are always in contact" during the summers.

"I don't know if [Love] has anything left or not," the scout said. "He hasn't played much in a long time. Ideally he's another vet leader, but I'm not sure that's his personality. He's valuable if he can still play and provide leadership and guidance to young guys. Not everyone is built that way, though. If he can't play and doesn't work hard or say much in the locker room, it's probably better not to have him around."

Mobley is now the future at power forward, whether he starts over Markkanen right away or not. He has the most potential and was the highest selection of any young Cav during this rebuild, and he should be a two-way force for the next decade-plus.

Mobley revealed that his point of emphasis is to add muscle to his 7'0", 215-pound frame, one that probably isn't ready to defend NBA centers on a full-time basis just yet. His slim frame could help him occasionally play on the wing in the meantime.

Bickerstaff has used three-big lineups the past two years with Nance at small forward, Love at power forward and one of Allen, Andre Drummond or Tristan Thompson at center. If Mobley can hit threes at a good clip and shows the footspeed needed to defend wings, a frontcourt of Mobley, Markkanen and Allen could cause major mismatches for stretches of a game.

With Sexton, Garland, Mobley, Okoro, Markkanen and Allen, the Cavs have assembled young talent at every position. Rubio is the perfect backcourt mentor. Cedi Osman and Dylan Windler could become reliable rotation players off the bench. Cleveland might be fighting for a play-in spot by season's end.

However, the Cavaliers have to resolve the Love situation before it inevitably gets uglier. It's still unclear as to whether the Garland-Sexton backcourt will work long term, or if a Mobley-Allen frontcourt will feature enough shooting. A surprise trade for Simmons could reset the franchise's plans, too.

The Cavs are slowly rebuilding their way back to relevance, but they still have a lot of work to do.