JULY 6, 11:46am: Exum’s new contract is now official, the Jazz announced on their website.
JULY 3, 5:03pm: Free agent point guard Dante Exum has agreed to a three-year, $33M deal with the Jazz, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
A restricted free agent, Exum has been limited by injuries through most of his career. He appeared in just 14 games last season after a preseason shoulder injury that required surgery. However, he performed well enough in the playoffs for Utah to bring him back.
Exum, who turns 23 later this month, has averaged 5.7 PPG in four years with the Jazz. He sat out the entire 2015/16 season after tearing his left ACL.
Having entered the offseason intent on keeping their own free agents in the fold, the Jazz have now accomplished that goal. Before reaching a deal with Exum, they also agreed to terms with restricted free agent point guard Raul Neto and unrestricted big man Derrick Favors. Neto and Favors will each sign two-year contracts with non-guaranteed second years.
With the new deals for Favors, Neto, and Exum taken into account, Utah’s projected team salary is up to about $122MM, putting the team very close to the $123.7MM tax line. However, the Jazz could create a little more breathing room by waiving non-guaranteed players like Ekpe Udoh, David Stockton, and even Jonas Jerebko, which could generate the flexibility necessary to use their mid-level exception.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
People will scoff at that number but if you actually saw him play at the end of last year, it’s likely worthy he risk. Exactly looked springy and athletic and, most
Importantly, super aggressive. The Jazz have to take risks if they wanna compete with the upper-tier teams. They’ve whiffed on some draft picks in recent years, but they hit a home run with the Mitchell deal and all of a sudden they look like players.
Good assesment. Exum looked great to close out the year. Just as you said, aggressive going to the hole and wasn’t afraid every re-injuring himself. It’s what the Jazz have been waiting for for 3 years lol
You mean since he was drafted? He has played 3200 minutes in 4 years, and doesn’t make 3s. He does have a beautiful style going to the rim. It will be quite a duo with Mitchell.
Maybe Utah risks this because they have GSW, HOU & LAL in their conference.
Have they ‘whiffed’? Historically they have a Top 5 front office, look at all the talent that has been drafted by them, many late rounders. Not a Jazz fan, just surprised by that statement.
That being said I like the Exum deal. I think it is good value with upside.
Kanter, Burke and Burks stand out as bad ideas. Lyles too, but they fixed that with the Mitchell trade.
Burke was bad but not like shabazz or dieng has done much either. Burks has had moments same with kanter.
He did look good at moments, and I’ve read he is a good locker room attitude player. The jazz really did what they did because they have a warriors sort of spirit and unselfishness. They beat Westbrook without Rubio! They smashed warriors at the end of the regular season too.
3/33 is too much in my opinion, who else was gonna give him that? Randle got 9m, tyreke evans is going for 12m, that’s just 2 examples and he has potential to be as good as them of not better he is extremely fast and athletic and he moves the ball like the jazz want, but 11m for 3 yrs? You can like him and agree he hasn’t played enough or been healthy enough to make this a good deal. Nobody knows if any deal is good until it’s over anyway.
Another “re-draft” signing. Great athletic profile led to him being a very high pick, and now (despite showing very little for 4 years) gets him 33 mm/3. Hard to argue this one with Gordon getting 84 mm/4. If they moved on, then someone would sign him, though not for this amount (but mainly because the team that knows him the best moved on from him). Utah generally does a good job with personnel / payroll decisions, so it must make sense for them.
I like the jazz hopefully this contract doesnt come back to bite them. Gobert, mitchell are a stellar start to a team
Nooooo how can you pay Exum on a few games 33 million dollars what about the 166 he’s missed over the last 3 years. 11 million for one if you believe he’s coming with team options to protect yourself but WOW 33 mill guaranteed makes no sense you need real players out there with Mitchell and Gorbet ….. 2 studs need a third not a maybe
YEEEEEAAAAHHHH BUDDY!
So Exum just signed for twice the salary of DeMarcus Cousins? I am still shocked that the player’s association are okay with him lowballing.
Allegedly some teams wouldn’t touch him because of his locker room issues and ridiculous technicals, and other teams were scared off by the Achilles, and he’s not going to be back until January anyways. If it was like prime Anthony Davis not coming off an injury the NBPA would have an argument, but given his injury and previous locker room problems, sadly they don’t really have a case.
I understand the extension, but I think it’s at least a $2-4 million per overpay, and eats into the cap room they’ll have next year with some guys coming off the books
Say what? Was anyone else going to pay him anywhere near that? I highly doubt it.
For all his athleticism, he’s been a disappointment. When on the court, he just isn’t that good. Low efficiently, terrible three point shooter, and doesn’t really excel in any area of the game.
Looks like the Jazz are just spending money for the sake of spending money here.
Agree, he is way overpaid, probably would be ok at 11/2 with some non guaranteed for the 2nd year, Utah just outbid themselves. I mean is a nice prospect, so has been for the last 4 years… needs to stay healthy, but 33/3 is way overpaid, just like Favors, Utah always overpays for not so good players, must be they are not a good location, or they have a bad FO, but always making bad decisions when it comes to FA’s & drafts.