Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dante Exum. David Dermer-USA TODAY Sports

Former No. 5 overall pick signing with Mavericks after two-year NBA hiatus

By Vinny Somma | Last updated 7/2/23

Dante Exum is making a return to the NBA.

After two seasons playing internationally, the free-agent guard is signing a guaranteed contract with the Dallas Mavericks, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Exum will receive a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum, per NBA insider Marc Stein.

Free agent G Dante Exum – a former No. 5 overall pick – is returning to the NBA on a guaranteed deal with the Dallas Mavericks, his agent Brandon Rosenthal tells ESPN. After leading Partizan to their first title in a decade, Exum brings his perimeter versatility to the Mavs.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2023

The move reunites Exum with former Utah Jazz GM and current Mavericks front office advisor Dennis Lindsey, who selected Exum No. 5 overall in 2014.

Exum battled numerous injuries during his first stint in the league, appearing in just 245 regular seasons games across seven seasons with the Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers. When available, his struggles offensively limited his usage as a core rotational player, as he shot just 40.7% from the field and 30.5% from beyond the arc.

The soon-to-be 28-year-old appears to have developed his shot during his stint overseas, shooting 39.3% from three in 38 EuroLeague games with Partizan in 2022-23.

Dante Exum was highly efficient on catch-and-shoot looks for Partizan NiS Beograd in 2022-23, producing 1.31 PPP on 117 attempts. Particularly when unguarded, he generated 1.44 PPP on 81 shots. A key element to a successful NBA return will be to sustain improved results. pic.twitter.com/dOgolqPxTg
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) July 2, 2023

Pairing his improved shooting percentage with an already proven defensive skillset should allow the 6-foot-5-inch Exum to factor into Dallas' wing rotation next season. The Mavs are still looking for a serviceable replacement for defensive stalwart Dorian Finney-Smith, who the team parted with in the Kyrie Irving trade.

The Mavericks have been active since the start of free agency. They re-signed Irving to a three-year, $126 million deal and also added guard Seth Curry and center Dwight Powell. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Dallas is also interested in adding versatile forward Grant Williams and Lakers free-agent guard Malik Beasley.

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