NBA Utah Jazz

Dante Exum Showing Value in Preseason Play for Utah Jazz

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By @mrmarykateolsen

Dante Exum Utah Jazz Chris Paul LA Clippers

Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

When the Utah Jazz selected Dante Exum with the fifth pick in last June’s draft, experts agreed that his potential progress as a NBA player could go a multitude of different ways. He could one day blossom into a superstar in the league, he could struggle with defense, shooting and the physicality of professional basketball and not make it at all, or any number of scenarios in between.

After five preseason games with the Jazz, Exum has given fans and team brass have reason to believe in the high end forecasts of his potential. In each contest since Utah’s first exhibition bout with Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers, the Australian combo guard has made marked improvement in his output and has steadily reminded the world of his potential for greatness on the hardwood.

Although he still has a long way to go defensively, his length has bothered opposing point guards at times. He’s also shown good instinct and an ability to use that length to his advantage in the passing lanes. On Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers, he nabbed two steals in only 16 minutes of play and was able to handle the occasional match-up with Chris Paul about as well as can be expected from a rookie guard checking the league’s greatest point-man.

Another area of concern for Exum has been his ability to develop a consistent jump shot and provide floor spacing. Though he struggled with his shot during summer league and FIBA play, Exum has consistently demonstrated good shooting form; he just wasn’t making shots. That has not been the case this preseason, as Exum has connected on 7-of-13 three point attempts overall, including five triples in two games against the Clips.

His field goal percentage on the whole lands at just over 44-percent, a respectable number for a perimeter player and something Exum can build upon as he grows accustomed to the NBA game. If he can at least sustain that rate of efficacy, it would be a success for the player and the team. A big part of that will be his ability to finish at the basket. It’s only the preseason, and Exum obviously will need to build strength to do this consistently, but he has already shown a propensity and a willingness to take it to the basket and finish in traffic.

Exum still has his doubters and has already had his share of rookie moments (to the tune of eight turnovers in the team’s first game with the Clippers). He also needs to learn to play effectively when fellow PG Trey Burke is on the floor with him. Nonetheless, his value to the team and potential as a player has become more evident with each game and if anything can be discerned from his preseason play, it’s that the sky is still the limit for Exum.

Ryan Aston covers the Utah Jazz for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @MrMaryKateOlsen or add him to your network on Google.

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