Collin Sexton made a rather surprising decision to sign with a Los Angeles Lakers side that already has two ball-dominant guards in Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Some are already claiming that Sexton made a mistake for that very reason, as other teams could've given him more projected time on the ball.
Though the concerns for Sexton are understandable, he's put himself in a perfect position to define the next chapter of his career by proving he can adapt to his new situation in Los Angeles.
Peter O'Keefe of Blue Man Hoop recently wrote that Sexton will come to regret signing with the Lakers rather than the Golden State Warriors. Golden State reportedly expressed interest in Sexton earlier this summer, but he instead signed with Los Angeles.
O'Keefe's reasoning was multifaceted, with one of the explanations being that Sexton is entering a situation where he may not feature prominently into the Lakers' rotation.
"Sexton could prove to be a savvy free agent signing, but there's an outcome where both he and the front office regret the move given the presence of star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. It will likely leave Sexton in an unfamiliar role next season, having averaged 29 minutes across his career while starting 75% of games."
O'Keefe writes that the Warriors could've given Sexton a far more expansive role within their system, particularly with Jimmy Butler out and Stephen Curry needing help at guard.
"That's in contrast to the Warriors who have a clear need for ball-handlers, playmaking and scoring, particularly while Jimmy Butler remains sidelined by injury. Sexton could have walked into a prominent role behind and even alongside Curry, not to mention the primary role he'd get on nights where the 38-year-old is resting or injured."
Though there appear to be more touches available for a volume scorer with the Warriors, Sexton can make a far bigger statement about his career trajectory with the Lakers.
Collin Sexton has more to prove with the Lakers—and that's a good thing
Yes, Sexton could've conceivably received more touches and perhaps even a more consistent role with the Warriors. What he has with the Lakers, however, is a golden opportunity to dispel potentially flawed beliefs about his limitations and reveal whether or not he can factor into a championship-caliber rotation.
Whether or not one believes that Los Angeles is ready to contend, they have quite a collection of guards at the top of the rotation—much as most contenders have depth at multiple positions.
If Sexton can thrive in Los Angeles, then it'll mean he's found a way to expand his contributions. Doncic and Reaves are the clear-cut first and second options, with the former coming off of a season in which he led the NBA in usage rate and the latter checking in at 25.8.
As such, Sexton's success will not only depend on his ability to continue scoring and facilitating the offense with volume and efficiency, but making a statement as a defender and off-ball player.
Staying the course wasn't a rational option for Collin Sexton
With the Warriors, Sexton would've likely played big minutes, produced with the same volume and efficiency he has in previous seasons, and ideally helped the team compete for a playoff spot. That could've helped his reputation, but he wouldn't have necessarily been doing anything he hasn't already done.
In Los Angeles, however, he'll be challenged to go outside of his comfort zone and prove whether or not his game truly fits on a team that isn't going to make him a featured player.
That may be harsh, but Sexton has a career average of 18.3 points per game on .472/.389/.841 shooting. He even averaged 24.2 points and 5.7 assists per 36 minutes over the past three seasons. And yet, the market for him wasn't necessarily known to be robust.
Considering Sexton has never played a postseason game, perhaps contenders don't yet view him as anything more than a productive player on bad teams.
Collin Sexton can change the way contenders view him with the Lakers
It makes some degree of sense, as Sexton is an undersized scoring guard who has spent his career in high-volume roles. If a contender is simply looking for someone to pick their spots in a star-studded rotation, then they'd be unlikely to covet such a player or skill set.
If Sexton can prove that he can make it work in a situation like the Lakers', however, the interpretation of what he can bring to a winning team will change all but instantly.
Sexton thrives in all of the right ways on paper, including the fact that he shot 44.5 percent on catch-and-shoot threes in 2025-26 and 43.8 percent in 2024-25. He also ranked in the 96th percentile in rim shot creation and the 77th percentile in off-ball chaser defense this past season, per Basketball Index.
Sexton's success generally came before the Charlotte Hornets dominated the second half of the regular season, however, and after he was traded to the tanking Chicago Bulls. As such, no one really seemed to be paying attention to how well he adjusted to changing surroundings.
In Los Angeles, Sexton will not only have a chance to be a Sixth Man of the Year candidate with his production, but make a far bigger statement under a massive spotlight about how he can adapt to a winning environment.
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