NY Knicks: 2 Reasons why NY was smart to avoid Collin Sexton trade

If the NY Knicks Signed Collin Sexton it would have been a salary cap burden

This October, Collin Sexton will be eligible for a 5 year 168mm extension.

While he may end up inking a deal for much less, the same NY Post article indicated that Sexton wants the entire max.

And despite using up their cap space this offseason, New York retained flexibility.

The new contracts of Evan Fournier (4 years / 78mm), Derrick Rose (3 years / 43mm), Alec Burks (3 years / 30mm), Nerlens Noel (3 years / 32mm), and Taj Gibson (2 years / 10mm), all have team options in their final years.

They also signed Julius Randle to a team-friendly 4-year / 117mm extension, and are kicking the tires on a Mitchell Robinson extension.

Even with all of that, every Knicks contract on the books is tradable. There isn’t one glaring albatross contract.

Collin Sexton making up to 33.6 mm/year and signing for a contract with a greater value than Randle (who could have waited a season for a larger contract), and a potential RJ Barrett extension would come back to haunt New York financially, and in terms of team chemistry and hierarchy.

Knicks fans are also waiting (patiently) for a star, and signing Sexton to a max deal all but guarantees building around a core of Randle, Barrett, and Sexton.

A good team. Not a championship team.

NY Knicks – Collin Sexton’s skills are already present on their roster

There are some elements of Sexton’s game that could fit well in New York.

He’s an inconsistent but overall aggressive defender all while providing the offensive spark the Knicks have been looking for.

He’s young and looking to improve, and could thrive under Coach Tom Thibodeau.

With that being said, Immanuel Quickly’s presence all but renders Sexton superfluous.

While Sexton could run a team’s offense, he looks more like a two-guard whose game is centered around scoring.

Sound familiar?

Derrick Rose and Kemba Walker will elevate everyone who shares the court with them, Quickley and Obi Toppin most notably.

Additionally, the Knicks just drafted another young rookie point guard of their own, Miles McBride.

McBride is a great defender himself and shoots well from beyond the arc.

He looked promising in summer league, and the 20-year-old will have plenty of time to develop behind Rose and Walker.

I’d also be surprised if we didn’t see him spell the two older guards as the Knicks will inevitably have to resort to some form of load management.

Sexton is a genuine talent, but last season showed veteran leadership is at the heart of New York’s development.

The stability of Rose/Walker and Fournier will be essential for the Knicks in the next two to three years.

The Cavs aren’t doing Sexton any favors. He is one of the most interesting young guards in the Eastern Conference, and NBA fans should watch his development in the coming years.

The Knicks wisely practiced patience and played it safe this offseason.  Avoiding Sexton was consistent with their philosophy.