Let mock season begin

Cavaliers 19-year-old rookie Collin Sexton is getting the chance to grow up quickly with point guard George Hill on the shelf another 10 days or so with a right shoulder injury.

Sexton, unfairly, has taken heat for the Cavaliers starting the season 1-10.There have been times this season when the rookie has been overwhelmed. No one player can possibly replace Kyrie Irving (traded to the Celtics in August of 2017), LeBron James (signed with the Lakers in July in free agency) and Kevin Love (foot injury). Yet it seems Sexton is expected to do just that simply because he was the eighth overall pick of the draft and the Cavs are spoiled after making it to four straight NBA Finals.

“At this point, it’s kind of just we’re throwing guys out there right now,” center Tristan Thompson told reporters after a tough loss in Orlando. “Obviously the guys who have played with each other for a while have that connection and now we have to figure out how we’re going to bring the new guys in and the young guys in and how to make it mesh with the young guys that we have.”

Guard J.R. Smith, who wants to be traded, chimed in.

“No one knows what they’re supposed to be doing other than the vets,” Smith said. “Within those guys we understand what it is, we’ve been there and we went to The Finals with this team and some of these guys last year.”

Coach Larry Drew had a sit-down with his veterans and told them to back off criticizing Sexton and the other young players, Drew said after the Cavs were beaten 95-86 by the Thunder.

Sexton started in Hill’s spot at point guard and played 41 minutes against the Thunder. He had only one assist and turned the ball over three times while scoring 15 points. He did not attempt a free throw. The Cavs as a team attempted only 13 free throws against the Thunder.

Sexton was expected to start against the Bulls in Chicago on Nov. 10. He should get at least two more starts after that when the Cavs host Charlotte on Nov. 13 and then play in Washington the next night. After that the Cavs have four nights off before playing in Detroit Nov. 19. Excluding the AllStar break in February, it is their longest stretch without a game all season.

• I am not a fan of the Cavaliers new “city” uniforms. The jerseys are orange on the top half and blue on the bottom half with the word “Cleveland” scripted in white on the top half. The players’ number is white and overlaps the orange and blue sections. The shorts are predominately blue with an orange section on the lower left leg.

My choice of clothing has never prompted anyone from GQ to ask where I shop, so the fact I’m not wild about the blue and orange uniform doesn’t mean much. So what do you think of the new style?

The Browns are on a four-game losing streak and their playoff hopes dashed again. So let’s look ahead to the three-day draft, which begins April 25.

Matt Miller of Bleacher Report projects the Browns will pick sixth and follow the Giants, Raiders, 49ers, Bills and Cardinals in the draft order. Miller lists the Browns top three needs as offensive tackle, wide receiver and cornerback. He’ll get no argument here.

Instead of using the first pick to fill an immediate need, however, Miller has the Browns picking Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams with this persuasive explanation:

“Alabama’s Quinnen Williams is the most talented player on the board. Williams, a redshirt sophomore at Alabama, has been unstoppable in his first season as a starter. He’s a 6-foot-4, 285-pound pass-rusher with inside moves and the power to collapse the pocket. Against LSU, he had 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks while showing off the threedown talent to look similar to Ndamukong Suh.”

Miller believes a Browns defensive line with Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi, Williams and Emmanuel Ogbah could be devastating.

Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports also projects the Browns will pick sixth. But he has them taking LSU cornerback Greedy Williams. What a great name for a cornerback with a knack for making interceptions. “In the first half of his rookie season, Denzel Ward has been exactly what the Browns were hoping he’d be when they surprised everyone and made him the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 Draft,” Trapasso wrote. “But the other cornerback spot is severely lacking. Williams and Ward would create a formidable tandem in Cleveland’s secondary.”

Trapasso has Williams going eighth to Tampa Bay.

Draftsite.com projects the Browns will be picking seventh and has them taking Mississippi left tackle Greg Little. He is no relation to the wide receiver Greg Little the Browns picked in 2011.

Little is 6-foot-6, 325 pounds. Draftsite.com offers this scouting report on Little: “Very athletic, moves well on pulls and screens. Has the ability to set up quick and take edge rushers out of the play. Great size for the position as an anchor. On the negative end, the site says Little “Can be pushed back at

Reach Schudel at JSchudel@News-Herald. com. On Twitter: @jsproinsider