Collin Sexton considers himself 100% healthy heading into his first season with the Jazz, Joe Coles of the Deseret News writes.
Sexton agreed to a four-year contract worth $71MM while getting dealt to Utah in the Donovan Mitchell blockbuster trade with the Cavaliers.
Sexton, 23, missed all but 11 games in 2021/22 due to torn meniscus in his left knee, which required surgery. The previous season, he averaged 24.3 PPG and 4.4 APG on .475/.371/.815 shooting in 60 games (35.3 MPG).
Sexton was in limbo as a restricted free agent much of the summer, as negotiations between his reps and the Cavaliers dragged on. He tried not to get frustrated by the situation.
“I just know my agent was pretty much just telling me just to stay patient and everything will work out now we be playing whether it was in Cleveland or another team, I will be wearing an NBA jersey,” he said. “So that was pretty much my mindset. I just wanted to just continue to work on the things that I needed to improve on and I let the rest take care of itself.”
Sexton spoke to new coach Will Hardy this week and was excited about his positive energy.
“He’s understanding that we’re going to be young, but he also understands like it’s going to be fun and I can’t wait to just be coached by him just because his energy and how he talks to us and how he’s so uplifted and how he has high spirits each and every day,” Sexton said. “That rubs off on everybody in the building as well.”