Next Two Weeks Will be Crucial for Jazz & Collin Sexton
Second-year Jazzman Collin Sexton has taken advantage of the two spot starts that he received versus the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers. Sexton rewarded head coach Will Hardy with his best performances of the year and two Utah Jazz victories.
Over the two-game stretch, Sexton has scored 53 points on 21-for-35 shooting while also dishing out 11 assists. It may be just a couple of games, but Sexton will now attempt to show Hardy he can be a permanent solution at the shooting guard position with Jordan Clarkson being out for a minimum of two weeks.
Hardy noted not only Sexton’s showing but specifically the eight-second violation that Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson was strong-armed into during the second quarter of the Knicks game.
“Anytime that Colin gets really hyped up I’m excited,” Hardy said. “I love Collin to death. His intensity, his passion, his want to win, his energy’s infectious. I almost ran on the court and gave him a high-five. I was so hyped up when it happened. I think the crowd feeds off of him. You know, that’s what he gives us every night. The crowd feeds off of him. Collin’s a very endearing person. How hard he works, how hard he plays. And those plays are going to be ones that our team goes nuts about”
Earlier this year, Sexton was named the starter alongside Talen Horton-Tucker for Utah’s first preseason game. The experiment didn't last long, with Hardy opting to go with Clarkson after just two games. Due to the log jam at the guard spot to start the year, Sexton is averaging just 21 minutes a game,
However, those minutes will certainly increase in the short term, and being anointed, the permanent starter is in play due to Clarkson’s inconsistencies. Sexton logged a season-high 32 minutes versus the Trail Blazers.
The former No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft has somewhat struggled since arriving in Salt Lake City. Scoring points has never been a problem, but a lack of size on defense paired with turning the ball over at a high rate has kept him from receiving starter-type minutes.
How Sexton performs during this new lease on life could go a long way regarding Utah’s long-term plans. It makes a lot of sense for the Jazz to move on from Clarkson because of his age, but Sexton’s sticking with the team is up for debate.
There’ll certainly be a demand for Sexton in the trade market this year. Having a dynamic scorer who can put up points in bunches while the best players are resting shouldn't be taken for granted. It’s also a type of player that Utah will need if Clarkson does get moved.
How Sexton performs these next two weeks will be something Jazz fans should be keeping a close eye on. The current status quo is Sexton’s skill set suits what a franchise needs in a sixth man, but an opportunity to show the Jazz brain trust that he can be more than that is there for the taking.
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