[high floorParticipant]

Dante Exum’s rookie year for the Jazz featured your typical ups & downs for a 19yo. Looking solely at the box score.. there was a lot to be desired considering he played a decent 22 minutes per game. Beyond his season ending stats though, I saw a player that has explosive potential as point guard or playmaking 2 guard next to the newly acquired George Hill. 

After witnessing Jabari’s successful comeback from his ACL injury, I have confidence that Exum will come back better, faster, and every bit as explosive once he shakes the rust off (first 35-40 games or so). Concerning his rookie year, here’s what stood out to me the most: He will be an above average defender as soon as next season. He generated steals every which way possible.. picking pockets, playing the passing lanes, deflections.. you name it. He also had a number of shot-blocks off his opponents’ jumpers + a few on the weak side which highlights his length and absurd lateral quickness. Pretty impressive. Short sample size aside.. I think those were his greatest selling points his rookie year.

On offense he has some developing to do, which makes last year’s ACL injury that much more difficult to swallow for Jazz fans. I thought he developed real nice chemistry with Gobert in the pick n’ roll during their 2015 2nd half.. distributing numerous timely alley-oops and dump-offs for baskets. His form on his jumpshot is well ahead of his PG rookie-contract peers like Mudiay, MCW & Elfrid Payton… so I project him to become quite reliable in that department, with the potential to heat up quickly. I believe he had a game with 5 three’s against the Bucks.. which showed off his confidence level & overall potential to put the ball in the cup.

I’m an Exum believer, and he’s a unique talent that’s difficult to compare to previous players. The best I can do today is say he’ll fall somewhere in-between 2006-07 Shaun Livingston and 1994-95 Penny Hardaway. I don’t think Penny’s talent is respected as much as it should be in NBA circles, and comparing Exum to him is not fair at this stage of Dante’s career. Penny (as a Memphis Tiger) had better vision than Exum, but I think Dante has significantly better scoring potential than Livingston had.. specifically before his nasty career threatening injury. I think his real breakout will be in 2017-18, and he’ll be a multiple all-star selection when it’s all said and done.

2016-17: 11pts, 3rebs, 3.5assists, 4.0 FT attempts, 74% FT, 0.6 threes per game, 1.4stls

[ChoppyParticipant]

Provided he starts, those stats could be conservative. The level of talent around him is better, so this may translate into more assists and more open driving lanes for more scoring opportunities. 

[ChoppyParticipant]

Provided he starts, those stats could be conservative. The level of talent around him is better, so this may translate into more assists and more open driving lanes for more scoring opportunities. 

[Ahkasi ClayParticipant]

I think he is better point guard prospect than D’angelo Russell at this point,  he is doing all the right things to get back, and be better.

[Untouchable JParticipant]

People are so low on Deangelo. Take a look at the best PGs in the league. None of them look like Exum. To the contray, they are scorers, 3 ball hitters. Almost pass 2nd even.

 

Deangelo projects to that, epsecially with Kobe out the way. I see Deangelo as a 20 and 6 guy

I see Exum as a Tyreke Evans, Shawn Livingston, Jalen Rose type. The former ‘tall pg’ who eventually moves to the wing and voila, theres most of his advantage and he’s now just ‘ok’ as a normal sized wing.

The tall pg experient rarely works now bc they cant quite push like a normal sized guy.

[Untouchable JParticipant]

People are so low on Deangelo. Take a look at the best PGs in the league. None of them look like Exum. To the contray, they are scorers, 3 ball hitters. Almost pass 2nd even.

 

Deangelo projects to that, epsecially with Kobe out the way. I see Deangelo as a 20 and 6 guy

I see Exum as a Tyreke Evans, Shawn Livingston, Jalen Rose type. The former ‘tall pg’ who eventually moves to the wing and voila, theres most of his advantage and he’s now just ‘ok’ as a normal sized wing.

The tall pg experient rarely works now bc they cant quite push like a normal sized guy.

[Ahkasi ClayParticipant]

I think he is better point guard prospect than D’angelo Russell at this point,  he is doing all the right things to get back, and be better.

[Hype Machine]

I think Exum is a future All star and Defensive 1st team candidate.  Hes still a while away though…and actually think he will be a backup PG until after the All Star Break. Knee injuries are brutal and he was already super raw.

George Hill is solid and the Jazz will want to get off to a fast start since they only just missed out on the playoffs by a game or 2.

[Hype Machine]

I think Exum is a future All star and Defensive 1st team candidate.  Hes still a while away though…and actually think he will be a backup PG until after the All Star Break. Knee injuries are brutal and he was already super raw.

George Hill is solid and the Jazz will want to get off to a fast start since they only just missed out on the playoffs by a game or 2.

[Jr. ROXASParticipant]

I actually think you are being generous with those predictions. Jazz are on a win now mode and I’m not sure if would really get a chunk of Hill’s minutes.

 

 

And now that they’ve signed Joe Johnson, Alec Burks I feel will be the first PG off the bench. Exum will play sporadically until maybe the 2nd half of the season, where he’ll be sharing playing time with Hill.

 

Im predicting 7, 3 and 3 for Exum mainly because the Jazz are trying to make a playoff push, and Snyder doesn’t seem like the one to play young guns over veterans.

 

 

 

 

[Jr. ROXASParticipant]

I actually think you are being generous with those predictions. Jazz are on a win now mode and I’m not sure if would really get a chunk of Hill’s minutes.

 

 

And now that they’ve signed Joe Johnson, Alec Burks I feel will be the first PG off the bench. Exum will play sporadically until maybe the 2nd half of the season, where he’ll be sharing playing time with Hill.

 

Im predicting 7, 3 and 3 for Exum mainly because the Jazz are trying to make a playoff push, and Snyder doesn’t seem like the one to play young guns over veterans.

 

 

 

 

[NBAjunkie81Participant]

 Every year there is a Draft but Very few players actually have a chance to be special & I just have learned not to give up on these guys when they struggle early or miss time due to injury

These guy’s are entering the NBA So young now & for those Very rare few who are special – like Exum – patience is the name of the game b/c they are no longer Developing in college — they are Developing on the NBA team that Drafted them……..

Exum will be 21 Next week — 21! That’s it….. a 6’6” PG w/ length, Elite Atleticism & Explosiveness — a Rare talent – Sign me up! I Luv this kid…… One day he’ll be Utah’s Star

 

 

[NBAjunkie81Participant]

 Every year there is a Draft but Very few players actually have a chance to be special & I just have learned not to give up on these guys when they struggle early or miss time due to injury

These guy’s are entering the NBA So young now & for those Very rare few who are special – like Exum – patience is the name of the game b/c they are no longer Developing in college — they are Developing on the NBA team that Drafted them……..

Exum will be 21 Next week — 21! That’s it….. a 6’6” PG w/ length, Elite Atleticism & Explosiveness — a Rare talent – Sign me up! I Luv this kid…… One day he’ll be Utah’s Star

 

 

[Author]

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