Utah Jazz: One thing each key role player needs to improve in 2019-20

Dante Exum – A more reliable jumpshot

With Dante Exum, it would be easy to say that the thing he most needs to improve is simply the ability to remain healthy and stay on the court. This is, of course, largely out of his control as he clearly didn’t do anything to purposely sustain the unfortunate woes that have continually plagued him throughout his career.

With that being the case, while Exum could likewise benefit from enhancing his finishing ability just like Mudiay, where he could really aim to improve is by adding a more viable jump shot. Shooting has never been a strength of Exum’s since he entered the league, and his inability to command any sort of respect from the perimeter or mid-range in turn weakens the aspect that should be the strongest of his game.

Dante is renowned for his quick first step and his ability to get to the rim at ease. That agility and athleticism has earned him a decent rim-finishing mark of 59 percent for his career. But often he’s left essentially unchecked from a jump-shooting perspective, so many of those rim finishes are far more difficult than they should be. If Exum were able to increase his shooting prowess, it would not only allow him more points and better percentages as a jump shooter, but it should give him better opportunities to get to the rim easier and convert at an even higher rate.

But his marks up to this point simply haven’t been good enough to command opponents’ defensive attention outside of a few feet from the basket. Exum is a career 30.4 percent three-point shooter, and went an abysmal 29 percent last season. What’s worse, though, isn’t just his deep-ball shooting, but his shooting of any measure is downright ghastly. Last season, from 3-10 feet from the hoop, Exum shot just 29.7 percent, barely better than his three-point conversion rate.

From 10-16 feet out, he did go a wildly impressive 66.7 percent, but considering that his career mark from that range is 37.9 percent, last year’s percentage feels more anomalous than it does sustainable.

Now, to be clear, I’m not suggesting that Exum needs to become a mid-range shooter extraordinaire – that certainly isn’t the most prudent way to become efficient – but Jazz fans have seen just how in need of work his clunky jumper is. And most of the percentages, especially from the perimeter, are evidence of how poorly he shoots the ball.

If he is to command the respect he needs to so that he can open up more drives to the rim and capitalize on his greatest talents, he’s going to have to get that jump shot going at least to a respectable rate. Only then will he truly be able to unlock a more potent offensive ability which the Jazz will need him to display off the bench.