Cavaliers guard Dante Exum is expected to miss 1-2 months with a strained right calf, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
Exum suffered the non-contact injury during the first quarter of the team’s game against Orlando on Monday. He was writhing in pain and eventually hobbled to the bench, unable to put weight on his leg.
It’s a blow to the Cavs, as coach J.B. Bickerstaff had plugged Exum in a defensive stopper role.
“I think (Dante) is a heck of a defender,” Bickerstaff said over the weekend. “He’s extremely intelligent. He’s got great length. And he’s committed to trying to go out and get the job done.”
The injury could impact Exum’s future earnings. Exum, who is making $9.6MM this season, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He’s dealt with a number of health problems over the years that sidetracked his career. He hasn’t played more than 42 games in the past three seasons.
Cleveland has been hit hard by injuries and other issues this season
Exum was inserted into the lineup when rookie Isaac Okoro sprained his foot and then was placed on the league’s COVID-19 list. Kevin Porter Jr. has been out for personal reasons and his return is unknown, while Kevin Love is expected to miss most of this month with a calf strain. Matthew Dellavedova has been sidelined after suffering a concussion during the preseason.
And on and on and on we go. Doesn’t stop
Glad is was just a sprain, it’s looked like an Achilles tear at first.
148 games played in his first 2 seasons
245 games overall
talk about bad luck
Are the Cavs eligible for the hardship exception? I doubt it, just wondering.
Don’t know but also doubt it. Strained calf, not season ending.
I imagine at least three of their injured players (Love, Exum, Windler) will miss another 2+ weeks. If a fourth player fits that bill, they’d qualify once Exum misses his third game.
But it sounds like Okoro and Garland should be back soon and Porter isn’t technically injured, so it would probably come down to Dellavedova’s timeline.
hmmm maybe if exum doesnt come back within two weeks then prob da cavs should consider signing TG or michale kidd gilchrist, both reliable perimeter defenders that could fill in exum’s gap.
Injury prone as usual…
@magnificent with sensational style 416 maybe we could trade baynes, davis, and johnson for drummond and exum. dont u think? trading offense pieces like baynes and davis for a perimter defender like exum and drummond. two guys who could be upgrades on rebounding and defense. ofc johnson can replace da void left by exum tho and he more athletic than exum and has more size. it might be good for both teams
nah nah take it back derozan is a better option yk. cuz of exum’s injury history, he might as well qualify as an average nba bust. hes like a shooting guard who can’t shoot well instead hes more of a kris dunn type of player but with more skills and playmaking.
dang it wish there wus a delete option or something on dis to delete my previous comment
This guy is always hurt
Can never stay healthy. Never provides any level of production when he is healthy. Just move on from Exum.
Injured just after the HC went out of his way with praise. Well he was a top draft pick for a reason.
Surely his injury history shows a trend beyond just injured a lot.
How about trying too hard.
yup i agree