The Los Angeles Lakers announced they have signed free agent combo guard Collin Sexton to a two-year contract. The deal is reported to be for $19 million and includes a player option in the second year.
Sexton was originally drafted eighth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018 out of Alabama. This will be the second time he joins a team that LeBron James had just departured from.
Overall in eight NBA seasons, Sexton has averaged 18.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 47.2% from the field and 38.9% from deep. He has bounced around the league a bit in recent years as he has suited up for the Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls since leaving the Cavaliers.
In 68 games (22 starts) this past season with the Hornets and Bulls, the 27-year-old averaged 15.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 48.5% from the field and 40.1% from 3-point range in 23.7 minutes. He finished the season strong after being traded to Chicago for Coby White, increasing those numbers to 17.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
In Sexton’s lone season at Alabama, he was named First Team All-SEC and the league’s co-freshman of the year, averaging 19.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists across 33 games (32 starts). On the international stage, the guard helped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2016 FIBA U17 World Cup and was named the tournament’s most valuable player.
The Lakers’ roster is undergoing a complete overhaul this offseason as they begin to fully build around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. That includes letting LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes all depart, so far replacing them with Sexton, Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Kevon Looney.
Sexton will wear No. 10 in the Purple and Gold, which was last worn by Luke Kennard this past season.
Collin Sexton posts hype video after agreeing to sign with Lakers
Shortly after it was reported that Sexton was signing with the Lakers, he posted a hype video on social media to celebrate his new deal and team.
The Lakers have been linked to Sexton for a while now, and they finally have brought him in to be their first guard off the bench for hopefully the next two seasons. Putting pressure on the rim hasn’t always been a strength of the Lakers, and neither has bench scoring, so the Sexton addition should help improve both of those areas moving forward on the new-look squad.
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