2017 NBA Manifesto
Dante Exum
PG/SG, 6’6, 190lbs, 21 years old, 2 years of experience
Better than his rookie season, but still not doing much offensively. Exum takes a lot of spot-ups (all but two made three-pointers were assisted), but also misses a lot of them, shooting sub-30% from outside. Entirely eschewing the mid-range game is wise, but for all his athleticism, Exum is not able to get to the rim at the NBA level at will; it takes a slightly open door or transition to do so. Nevertheless, Exum was more aggressive this season, and that aggressiveness is what yields results, particularly on the defensive end, where he could be seen to improve as the season went along. Becoming an athletic, defensively-driven, drive-and-kick type with good handles and some spot-up ability is still within reach, but he needs to stop looking lost on offence so often.
Player Plan: One year of rookie scale salary remaining. Extension eligible, but has not merited that. Should take Mack’s role, not because he has especially shown he can run an NBA half-court offence, but because he needs to start learning how to. After a year of that, see how the land lies before committing to re-signing.
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PG/SG, 6’6, 190lbs, 21 years old, 2 years of experience
Better than his rookie season, but still not doing much offensively. Exum takes a lot of spot-ups (all but two made three-pointers were assisted), but also misses a lot of them, shooting sub-30% from outside. Entirely eschewing the mid-range game is wise, but for all his athleticism, Exum is not able to get to the rim at the NBA level at will; it takes a slightly open door or transition to do so. Nevertheless, Exum was more aggressive this season, and that aggressiveness is what yields results, particularly on the defensive end, where he could be seen to improve as the season went along. Becoming an athletic, defensively-driven, drive-and-kick type with good handles and some spot-up ability is still within reach, but he needs to stop looking lost on offence so often.
Player Plan: One year of rookie scale salary remaining. Extension eligible, but has not merited that. Should take Mack’s role, not because he has especially shown he can run an NBA half-court offence, but because he needs to start learning how to. After a year of that, see how the land lies before committing to re-signing.