Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum will be on the inactive list once again as his team squares off with the Adelaide 36ers of the Australian NBL.
Given their team’s spotty record with injuries in recent seasons, Utah Jazz fans are understandably a bit sensitive about pre-game injury reports. Unfortunately, reports throughout the 2018 preseason have only perpetuated the unease, and it was more of the same on Friday.
According to the latest update, combo guard Dante Exum will be sitting for the second straight game when his team takes the court against the NBL’s Adelaide 36ers. As with his last DNP, right knee soreness is the issue at hand.
Raul Neto and Isaac Haas were also listed as non-participants after the team’s game-day shootaround. Neto has been battling a hamstring issue throughout camp and is scheduled for re-evaluation next week. Haas’ exact injury was not disclosed.
That Exum is sitting out once again is definitely troubling. Since entering the league in 2014, the former No. 5 overall pick has only played in 49 percent of Utah’s games. He missed all of the 2015-16 season after tearing his left ACL and was limited to just 14 games last year after undergoing shoulder surgery.
The team hasn’t made any big statements about Exum’s current status, but there had been a feeling that his previous absence was largely precautionary in nature. The 23-year-old was moving well during his squad’s first exhibition bout with the Perth Wildcats and participated in warm-ups ahead of the Jazz’s win over the Toronto Raptors earlier this week.
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Fans may also be able to take heart in the fact that the soreness isn’t emanating from the same he had surgically repaired three years ago. Also — Jazz coach Quin Snyder indicated on Tuesday that injuries weren’t currently his largest area of concern.
Still, Exum’s past medical profile doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the Jazzland masses. It may not time be the time to hit the panic button just yet, but, at the least, the Exum situation will be one to monitor as the Jazz prepare for the 2018-19 season. Look for Grayson Allen and Alec Burks to continue to get additional reps in Exum’s absence.
The Jazz and the 36ers will do battle on Friday night at Vivint Smart Home Arena; tip-off is at 7 PM MT.