The Miami Heat are in the middle of a very tense situation for them. While running it back or returning with a core and surrounding roster that looks, pretty much, the same as last season wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, you would always like to improve from season to season.
There’s also the fact that they lost a very key piece to their club from last season in P.J. Tucker. Though Haywood Highsmith is showing very strong in similar areas and could perhaps show better versatility and athleticism all-around, he isn’t quite P.J. just yet.
Still though, as the Miami Heat continue to poke and prod around the Kevin Durant situation, with the Donovan Mitchell scenario out in Utah surely in the back of their minds as well, there are a few more things out there that can be tinkered around with.
While Cam Reddish in New York, whom they reportedly have an interest in, would be an interesting little play to make, there is another guy out in Cleveland that is said to be of interest to the Miami Heat.
Miami Heat rumors: 3 reasons not to pursue Collin Sexton in any circumstance
Per Sam Amico of Hoops Wire, the Miami Heat are one of two teams to show interest in the Cavaliers’ Collin Sexton. They are joined by the Utah Jazz, per the report.
The first thing that immediately jumps out there is that the Utah Jazz have some pretty interesting things going on (cue the Brian Windhorst clip). Sexton is very similar to Donovan Mitchell, so the aforementioned trade rumors must have complete legs.
Those are the rumors that have linked Mitchell and the Jazz to the Knicks, while the Heat surely lurk in the background. And frankly, you hope so if you are a Heat fan, as Sexton shouldn’t be a potential Miami Heat target.
Here are three reasons why—and whether they strike out on Kevin Durant and the aforementioned Mitchell, or not.
Ball-Dominant
Sexton is very ball-dominant. Though he can go get you a bucket on his own, that’s not always the best play to make for one’s team.
When you double-down on the concept, considering the Miami Heat are a ball and man movement team, that surely wouldn’t be the most effective or efficient route for them. This is also reflected in his assists numbers, never averaging five or more helpers in any of his four years.
Though he did make a pretty good improvement from years one and two to three, going from three, even, in both his first and second year to 4.4 per game in his third, you still need more from a guy that would have to be a point guard or a sixth man type for your team.
And that has everything to do with the next reason.
Miami Heat rumors: Collin Sexton is a good player, just not the one for them
Continuing with the theme of being similar to Donovan Mitchell, Sexton is on the smaller side. Listed at 6’1″, he’s playing amongst the trees every time he touches the ball.
Small Guard
Everyone that he is playing with is likely taller than he is. When you play such an aggressive style as Sexton does, though he can shoot the three-ball, it’s hard on a smaller guy.
That’s also where you go back to the ball dominance. At that size, your skill set has to be a bit more versatile, because you can’t really be lined up at the two-guard with regularity in this NBA.
When you think about the Miami Heat’s size issue over the last few years, that wouldn’t help. In going back to Sexton’s aggressive style on offense, you also think about the type of defense he would have to play in Miami.
It’s not easy on the body. The size thing just doesn’t align with what the Heat need.
The Cost
When you think about the cost of a deal to acquire Sexton, it might not seem like that much on the surface. However, that’s just thinking about the assets it’ll take to get him from Cleveland.
You then have to think about the fact that it’ll probably cost around $20 million to keep him. Well, that’s, at least, according to the reports.
When you already have a Tyler Herro in the fold, why would you bring in a Sexton? He may be a better defender, but he’s smaller and what he does won’t fit with the Miami Heat as well as what Herro does.
They would basically operate with the same touches and Herro has already proven to be a top 25 scorer in the league with those touches. If you want to bring Sexton in, why not hold on to Herro?
Now, it would likely take Herro in a deal if they were to get one done for Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell, you just have to be honest.
However, even if they aren’t able to get a deal done for either of those two guys, they should not pursue Collin Sexton. These were the three main reasons why.