Former Crimson Tide Standout Traded in Blockbuster NBA Deal
Salt Lake City, UT -- The NBA world received a big shock today when Donovan Mitchell was traded from the Utah Jazz to the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, one player that the Jazz received in return for Mitchell's services is none other than University of Alabama standout Collin Sexton.
Sexton's offseason has been confusing to some because up to this point as the athletic score-first guard had yet to sign a deal with any team throughout the summer. The trade revolved around the Cavaliers performing a sign-and-trade to include Sexton in the package that would be moving out west.
Sexton's new deal with the Utah Jazz is for four years and worth $72 million dollars, giving the young standout the money that he had been looking for this entire offseason. Teams have been hesitant to sign Sexton after he sustained a season ending injury early last season, but he has shown in workouts to be playing back at his peak.
Sexton joins a Utah team that has been very active in the trade market this offseason after also trading away all-star center Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the highly competitive Western Conference, the Jazz appear to be moving towards a rebuild and are loading up on draft capital for the foreseeable future.
The total results of the deal included Cleveland trading away Sexton, stretch big man Lauri Markkanen, rookie out of Kansas Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first round picks and two future picks swaps. All of this was sent to Utah to acquire the talents of star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell with the hopes that pairing him with first time all-star Darius Garland could lead to playoff success.
Sexton will get the opportunity to be the focal point of an offense that has loads of young talent and new head coach Will Hardy.
A potential starting lineup for the Jazz this season could see a backcourt pairing of Mike Conley and Sexton to give them a strong defensive core with Markkanen and rookie center Walker Kessler out of Auburn who was acquired in the Gobert trade.
There is still speculation that Utah is not finished in the trade market.