Argument for Dante Exum
Then again, after stating all that, it’s quite clear that the Jazz don’t see Exum as a burden or as too big of a risk. Quite the opposite, in fact. The Jazz haven’t been shy in expressing their faith in Dante Exum, and that right there could be viewed as a big enough case in and of itself for why the team should retain him.
The Jazz have a track record of doing an excellent job of developing players, so if they believe Exum’s potential is still intact, there’s little reason to question their judgement. Not only that, but he’s still just 22 years old. If he can overcome some of his unfortunate luck on the injury front and simply get a full season under his belt with a major role on the team, he could easily prove to be a significant contributor.
On the flip side of the worst case scenario where Dante could land a big offer from an opposing squad, imagine if teams are hesitant to offer him so the Jazz are able to keep him on a comfortable contract, then he blossoms into the star he was projected to be. All of a sudden, Utah would have a prolific player at a bargain rate. Yes, re-signing him at any amount will be risky, but it could very well come with a very high reward.
Not only that, but Dante has shown enough flashes of excellence to lead one to believe that he could very well still be a difference-maker. He’s an excellent defender, which is a great asset for the Jazz in and of itself, and he possesses an incredible first step that could help him be a force offensively if he can round out his other skills.
The most significant case for Exum is that he still has ample room to improve, and if he does so, he could yet become a great player. The Jazz seem to like their chances of that happening. If Exum is able to put in work this summer and remain healthy, don’t be surprised to see him in the conversation for the Most Improved Player award next season.
With that kind of potential and possible trajectory, it’s easy to see why Utah would want to aim to keep him around next season, even at a potentially risky price.