Report: Utah Jazz aiming to bring back Dante Exum this week

Following some disappointing news regarding Raul Neto, Utah Jazz fans got a much-needed pick-me-up regarding the impending return of Dante Exum.

The Utah Jazz have been playing phenomenal basketball since the healthy return of Rudy Gobert and are currently riding a hot streak of six straight victories and 18 wins in their last 20 games. And if that wasn’t good enough news, things are reportedly about to get even better in Jazz-land in the not-so-distant future as a certain player who’s been sidelined all year long is nearing a return.

I’m sure you already guessed it, but that player is none other than Dante Exum.

As you can see in the tweet below, according to the Salt Lake Tribune’s Tony Jones, Exum is targeting a return for this week:

This is fantastic news for a Jazz team that, despite how well they’ve played this season, could certainly use another producer off the bench. Utah’s second unit has had some struggles of late and if Exum is able to help improve them in any aspect, it will be a huge win for the Jazz.

Dante is certain to have a significant amount of rust once he steps back on the court, but he was looking phenomenal in Summer League and preseason just before the start of 2017-18 action, so hopes are high that he can get back at it sooner rather than later.

The news regarding Exum comes on the heels of a disappointing report regarding backup point guard Raul Neto. He has been diagnosed with a fractured left wrist that will keep him sidelined for at least two weeks. Neto’s impact certainly flies under the radar somewhat, but he’s been an important reserve for the Jazz and his presence will most definitely be missed.

However, Neto’s injury could very well be a motivating factor to get Exum back on the floor as soon as possible, assuming he’s fully healthy and it’s safe to have him out there, of course. If Exum is able to return to action this week and make good use of the likely similar 12 minutes or so per game that he’ll get initially, it will help soften the blow from Neto’s absence significantly.

It would be excellent timing if Dante were able to make a return this week as Utah’s next five opponents are all likely lottery-bound as they’ll face the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, then the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks next week. Easing Exum into the rotation against lackluster opponents that the Jazz should be able to defeat with or without him will be a nice way to help him get his legs back under him in a relatively low-pressure situation.

However, while those weak opponents may create a less pressured situation, there’s no denying that the stakes are high for the Jazz in each and every game they play as they are seeking to fight their way into the playoffs. If Exum is able to adjust during this weak part of the schedule and get back to his preseason level of play, he may very well be able to help relieve some pressure on the Jazz by making them even more dangerous in games against more daunting opponents.

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All I can say is, I can’t wait to have him back on the court and am anxious to see how he makes this team better. He figured to play a large role in Utah’s future moving forward prior to the injury, and his ability to get back to that level could elevate the Jazz to another echelon, if not this year, then certainly in the near future.