Former Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton. Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Hornets' Collin Sexton floated as trade fit for Western Conference contender

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Colin Keane | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 11:18 AM ET

The Charlotte Hornets absolutely fleeced the Utah Jazz on June 29 when they acquired Collin Sexton and a second-round pick in exchange for Jusuf Nurkić. Sexton is a proven NBA asset, and he’s still just 26 years old.

As a career 18.8 PPG scorer and an underrated three-point shooter (38.7 percent career), Sexton should contribute a ton to the Hornets’ rotation in 2025-26, either in a starting role alongside LaMelo Ball in the backcourt, or as a potential Sixth Man of the Year candidate coming off the Hornets bench (if Charlotte opts to start rookie Kon Knueppel).

Oh, and there’s one more thing about Sexton. He’s on an expiring contract ($19 million), which should give Hornets fans pause as they gush about his excellent fit in Charlotte.

There’s a good chance Sexton will be traded before February’s deadline (likely to a contender), and a specific squad from the Western Conference emerged as a match for Sexton during a new episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast on Tuesday.

Bill Simmons discusses Collin Sexton-Rockets trade fit

While talking about the devastating Fred VanVleet injury (which leaves the Rockets down an impact, starting-level guard), Simmons and Zach Lowe of The Ringer brainstormed some trade ideas for Houston to make up for VanVleet’s absence.

After discussing multiple guards, Simmons and Lowe discovered that they’d both thought about Sexton as a possible fit for the Rockets.

“Can I give you one more name?” Lowe asked Simmons.

“Collin Sexton?” Simmons replied.

“Yes!” replied Lowe. “How did you know that's the name?”

“I looked at him, too,” Simmons said. “Expiring contract, 19 million. Charlotte doesn't care. Could Charlotte get Reed Sheppard for Collin Sexton? No … but I think Collin Sexton is pretty good. I think that's actually a good name. I'd have to work out what the trade would be, but I think that's a good name.”

Simmons than wondered what a Sexton-Rockets trade would look like, and he struggled to figure out a theoretical deal: “I don't think they're gonna trade VanVleet for Collin Sexton, just for a variety of reasons … (maybe) Jabari (Smith Jr.) would have to be (included) … I don't know … I couldn't figure out how to make that one work.”

Sexton is entering his eighth NBA season. Selected at No. 8 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2018 NBA Draft, Sexton spent four seasons with the Cavs before playing the last three years for Utah.

Sexton will be wearing his third NBA uniform this October when he suits up for the Hornets, and it feels like a fourth jersey could be in his near future.