Dante Exum came into the NBA with a lot of potential. The Utah Jazz selected him fifth overall in 2014. Utah knew that it was going to be a process, as Exum entered the league at only 19 years old.
During his rookie season, he did show some flashes as the Jazz got his feet wet and acclimated him to the NBA. He played in all 82 games, starting 41 of them. He had a career-high 15 points against the Milwaukee Bucks when he knocked down five 3-pointers. A career-high 12 assists came against the Denver Nuggets, both games in which Utah won.
With Exum as a starter, the Jazz went 24-17. The future looked bright, as Utah felt they had their point guard of the future. Unfortunately, injuries began after that and derailed his career.
Exum tore his ACL playing internationally with Australia against Slovenia in August of 2015 and missed his entire second season in the NBA. That was only the beginning for Exum when it came to dealing with injuries.
READ MORE: Predictions for NBA Trade Rumors: Simmons, Lillard, Hield, Ingles, Siakam
His rookie season was the only time he played in all 82 games. In the 2016-17 season, he played in 66 games but hasn’t gotten close to that number since. He underwent shoulder surgery in October of 2017 and didn’t make his season debut until March 15th, 2018. He appeared in 14 games.
During the 2018-19 season, Exum played in only 42 games, suffering a sprained ankle that turned into a bone bruise in January of that season. He missed 25 games but lasted only four days before partially tearing his patellar tendon.
That cost him the beginning of the 2019-20 season, where he played 11 games before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he played 24 games. This past season he played in only six games with the Cavaliers before being traded to the Houston Rockets in the James Harden blockbuster but he never suited up for Houston.
READ MORE: Predictions for NBA Trade Rumors: Simmons, Lillard, Hield, Ingles, Siakam
With his extensive injury history, Exum isn’t garnering much interest in free agency. However, still only 26-years old, teams could take a chance on him as an extra guard.
Here are three teams that should take a chance on Exum in free agency.
