The Utah Jazz don't have to trade Collin Sexton. Because of his age and contract, the Jazz should feel free to keep him if they choose to. That doesn't mean they won't trade him; it just means they'll do so if a suitor offers them a good package for him.
One possible suitor is the Philadelphia 76ers. Things have not gone according to plan for the Sixers, as injuries have prevented them from being the team they want to be. Joel Embiid is as big an injury risk as ever, and Paul George is on the wrong side of 30.
We're almost halfway through the season, and they're not even in the play-in. There may be better teams that could try to get their hands on Sexton, but if there's one team that might be desperate enough to make an all-in trade for someone like him by the trade deadline, it's the Sixers.
ClutchPoints' Sam DiGiovanni floated Sexton as a top trade target for the Sixers. He explains pretty well why the Sixers would want someone like him.
"The 76ers...need more downhill creation. Sexton would be a huge help in getting the Sixers more drive-and-kick plays, trips to the foul line, and points in the paint. Even on a young, bad squad, he does a good job of making plays while maintaining his own efficiency. While Sexton is pretty ball-dominant, he's not useless without it. He shoots extremely well on catch-and-shoot threes, connecting on over 44 percent in each of the last two seasons."
Sexton is not a star, but he's highly efficient at what he's good at. It's hard to pass on someone who can score at the rate Sexton can at an inexpensive rate. Now the question is, what would the Sixers give the Jazz in return?
A deal will only work on one condition for the Jazz
The Sixers have plenty of contracts to match for someone like Sexton since his contract isn't all that expensive. From that alone, a deal could be arranged between the two sides, but the Jazz would want more than cap flexibility and draft capital in a deal for Sexton, knowing what the Sixers have.
If the Sixers want to get a trade done for Sexton, they would have to include one player in it: Jared McCain. That's right, the hotshot rookie whose first NBA season was cut tragically short due to a meniscus tear.
That would sound ridiculous on the Sixers' part because McCain had played so well that it'd be foolish to trade someone who could massively raise their ceiling. However, the clock is ticking on the city of Brotherly Love. If things are bad now, do they get better next year?
As George gets one year older, Embiid may decline and/or become even more susceptible to injury. McCain is out for the season, while Sexton would be ready to play. If the Sixers seriously inquire about Sexton, this would be one of the few opportunities for the Jazz to sell him for the maximum return value.
McCain would be an excellent addition to the Jazz. Sure, he's out for the season, but that works in their favor since his unavailability won't hinder their goals for this season. McCain has proven that he has enough NBA talent.
This is most definitely a reach. McCain's value is too high for the Sixers to consider trading him for Sexton, but Danny Ainge has a reputation for a reason. He knows if a team wants something from him, they will have to pay a premium to get it.
It may sound unrealistic, but again, the Jazz hold the cards in a potential Sexton deal. They're still tanking whether he'll be on the team past February 6. If they plan to sell high on Sexton, McCain sets the bar for what they want back for him.