Heading into his ninth season in the NBA, former Alabama guard Collin Sexton will finally get his chance to play for a contending team.
The 8th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Sexton spent four years playing for the rebuilding Cleveland Cavaliers before he was shipped off to the rebuilding Utah Jazz in the Donovan Mitchell trade. Sexton spent three seasons in Utah before being traded to the Charlotte Hornets, where he spent half a season before being shipped off to the Chicago Bulls at the Trade Deadline.
Now, Sexton is on the move again in free agency, signing a two-year, $19 million contract to join Luke Doncic with the Los Angeles Lakers:
Free agent Collin Sexton has agreed to a two-year, $19 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/S2MBPxTSH4
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026
Collin Sexton signs a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are in the midst of retooling their roster around Doncic, whom they acquired at the Trade Deadline in 2025 in a stunning blockbuster. LeBron James is exiting the franchise as the Lakers move in a different direction to build completely around Doncic.
They resigned star guard Austin Reaves, and in the biggest move of their offseason so far, they landed former Auburn center Walker Kessler in a trade with the Utah Jazz to anchor the frontcourt. That move was announced just an hour or so before Sexton agreed to his contract in Los Angeles.
Sexton will be a bench piece for the Lakers as they look to ascend back into Western Conference contention. The former Crimson Tide star has been underrated in recent seasons and could find a home as a bench guard for a contending team. He certainly has plenty of offensive skill to bring to the table.
Sexton can score in bunches, and his shooting ability is not given enough credit. He's a career 39% three-point shooter on good volume. He's shot 39% or better from three in four consecutive seasons. He'll get even more open looks playing alongside Doncic/Reaves than he ever has in his entire career thus far.
Sexton averaged 17.5 points per game for the Bulls in the 26 games he played for the franchise after getting traded to Chicago at the deadline.
Sexton will be a valuable piece in LA. This will be the first chance of his career to play on what should be a legitimate contender. The Lakers are probably still a piece or two away from seriously challenging Oklahoma City or San Antonio in the West, but a healthy Doncic is one of the league's best players and will have the Lakers in the thick of it.
For Sexton, that should be mean that for the first time in his career he'll have the opportunity to play in a playoff game.
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