Collin Sexton is headed to the kind of situation he’s never really had in the NBA: a team built to win now.
The former Alabama guard agreed to a two-year, $19 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, giving him his first real shot at joining a contender as he enters his ninth season. For a player who has spent most of his career bouncing between rebuilding rosters, it’s a major change of scenery.
Sexton was the No. 8 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and opened his career with four seasons in Cleveland. From there, he was sent to the Utah Jazz as part of the Donovan Mitchell trade, then later moved to the Charlotte Hornets, where he played half a season before landing with the Chicago Bulls at the trade deadline.
Now he’s on the move again, this time into a far more promising setup.
Free agent Collin Sexton has agreed to a two-year, $19 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/S2MBPxTSH4
- Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026
The Lakers are reshaping their roster around Luka Doncic, whom they acquired at the 2025 trade deadline in a stunning blockbuster. LeBron James is leaving the franchise as Los Angeles shifts in a new direction centered entirely on Doncic.
Los Angeles already re-signed Austin Reaves and made its biggest move of the offseason by bringing in former Auburn center Walker Kessler in a trade with Utah to steady the frontcourt. That deal came down about an hour before Sexton’s agreement became public.
For the Lakers, Sexton projects as a bench guard, but one with plenty of value. He’s long been overlooked for how much offense he can bring, and his shooting has become a real weapon.
He’s a career 39% three-point shooter on solid volume and has now hit 39% or better from deep in four straight seasons. With Doncic and Reaves setting the table, Sexton should see cleaner looks than he’s ever had.
He also brings recent production. After being traded to Chicago, Sexton averaged 17.5 points per game in 26 games for the Bulls.
That kind of scoring pop makes him a useful piece for a Lakers team trying to climb back into Western Conference contention. Los Angeles may still be a player or two short of truly matching Oklahoma City or San Antonio, but a healthy Doncic gives the Lakers a centerpiece good enough to keep them in the mix.
For Sexton, the move carries another first. If this roster comes together the way the Lakers hope, he should finally get a chance to play in a playoff game.
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