Collin Sexton and the Cavs could make the NBA fun again

Alabama basketball fans have a new reason to be NBA fans. Collin Sexton and the ‘Bron-less’ Cavs could make the league fun again.

Avid followers of the NBA don’t need encouragement to be NBA fans. There are plenty of teams and players to both love and hate. For most of those fans, Collin Sexton is just another ‘dime-a-dozen’ multi-million dollar rookie.

Alabama basketball fans know he is more special than that. Collin Sexton is one of the most exciting basketball players to move to the NBA in several years. He is certainly the most exciting former Alabama basketball player in a long time.

Last week, Collin Sexton signed his rookie deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 4-year contract could earn him up to $20.2 million. Two of the four years are guaranteed and Collin can earn up to $4.1 million in his first season. That is a lot of money unless it is compared to LeBron’s new Lakers deal paying him more than $150 million over four years.

The money is just a side note to what can become an interesting story. Can Collin lead a rebuild of the Cavs? Will the rebuild occur fast enough to boost the Cavs to the 2019 NBA Playoffs? Can Collin transfer his tremendous potential into NBA greatness? The answers will play out over multiple seasons and watching the evolution of Collin Sexton and the Cavs can be a joy.

Following the story is easier if you are a Cavs fan but that is not essential. There is a chance, a Collin-led Cavs team will become one of the most liked teams in the NBA.  Fans of the other 29 NBA teams may well enjoy the development of a new second team to appreciate. Certainly, the Cavs will be no longer be one of the most hated.

A good way to follow the Cavs

A site that is part of the FanSided network, King James Gospel is a great way to follow Collin and the Cavs. We don’t know if the site will be re-branded due to LeBron’s exit, but we can vouch for the site. The writer’s do good work and they are not shy about justifiably negative opinions. Currently, they are quite optimistic about the new Cavs and Collin Sexton is a big reason for their enthusiasm.

Check out the site’s recent assessment of Collin Sexton,

"Sexton is ready for the big stage. In addition to having elite playmaking skill, Sexton is also a superb defender.He brings a toughness that the Cavaliers haven’t seen in years. Sexton also displays great athletic ability. His former coach, Avery Johnson, claims Sexton is the fastest player he has ever seen. This potential should bring enough excitement to keep Cavalier fans engaged"

How is Collin doing so far?

Two games into the NBA Summer League, Collin the Cav has been Collin the Crimson Tider. The strengths and weaknesses as a college player are still evident.

His speed and toughness allow him to attack the rim. He plays fearlessly. Sexton will never be compared to the Rockets’ James Hardin because of his zest for defense. He will not be compared to Steph Curry either because his jumper still needs improvement.

Collin still needs to learn better shot selection and develop his distribution efforts. So far, the two-game sample performance has been encouraging. He has averaged 14.5 points in 29.5 average minutes of play. He has also averaged 4.5 rebounds per game, along with one assist, and .50 steals and blocks per game. The assist number is somewhat misleading due to teammates missing makeable shots.

What Collin has shown in abundance is he is ready to lead. Will the Cavs surround him with enough roster help? Even without any trades, the team has a good group of players, a couple of lesser-known ones could blossom soon. Can Tyronn Lue prove himself to be a solid NBA coach? Lue never had much of a chance to coach with LeBron on the roster, so now he can prove himself.

Next: What Lebron's exit means for Collin

For those of us who have been lukewarm followers of the NBA in recent years, Collin Sexton is an elixir for enthusiasm. Alabama basketball fans, it might be time to buckle-up with Collin and the Cavs.