He hasn't been perfect, but the Charlotte Hornets have certainly been enjoying the contributions they've been getting from Collin Sexton this season. As the 2025-26 campaign goes on, the team has to be feeling further vindicated for their offseason decision to trade for him.
Sexton has been exactly the type of spark plug scorer that this team had been lacking in previous seasons. And on a night like Monday where Charlotte was down Kon Knueppel and lost Miles Bridges to an ankle injury in the first half, Collin provided exactly what was needed to keep the Hornets in the contest against the Milwaukee Bucks.
In past seasons, a couple of injuries to two of the top scorers on the roster would have put the Hornets at a big deficit when it comes to having enough reliable scorers to put on the floor. It was often that exact scenario that would doom them and leave the team unable to put points on the board for extended stretches.
Now, Sexton is able to bring the kind of veteran scorer mentality that gives Charlotte a fighting chance. He brings excellent energy at both ends and locks in every night with the right mentality, lifting up his teammates and being willing to do whatever is necessary to win.
Collin Sexton helps raise the Hornets' floor
Playing both on and off-ball is natural for Collin, and he said as much after Monday's game. "I would say it's something that I've been doing pretty much my entire career," Sexton said. "It's something that I've been used to, so whenever I'm out there with LaMelo, whenever I'm out there with Brandon, just know those spots.
"And also, it helps with me being a point guard, because I'm able to orchestrate and tell guys, 'oh, don't be over there,' or, 'go over there,' and sometimes me and coach, we go back and forth about what plays to run, what not to run."
Collin's skill is a big component to why Charlotte’s offensive floor has been raised this season. With Sexton on the roster, the Hornets aren't so heavily dependent on Ball or Miller to organize every possession or manufacture offense late in the shot clock. Collin can steady the group when things bog down and force defenses to react.
That's why the trade the Hornets made for him has unquestionably been justified. Sexton may be a trade candidate for this team, but having a veteran guard who can absorb pressure and keep the offense functional is invaluable for a Charlotte roster still putting it all together.