Utah Jazz 2016-17 season review: Dante Exum
By Adam Coffman
Weaknesses
The one thing that torpedoes Exum’s potential the most is his lack of a reliable jump shot. He hit just 30 percent of his three-pointers this year, but still took 2.3 attempts per game, a large number for such an inaccurate shooter.
His mechanics are a bit awkward, and it looks as if he is pushing the ball out in front of him when he shoots. Exum’s release also leaves a lot to be desired, as it could easily be blocked and is far too slow.
Utah Jazz
You’d like to see him be more of a threat in the pick-and-roll; with his height, he could be an effective passer on skips and hammer action. However, until he develops a remedial jump shot off the dribble, this just won’t happen.
Opponents made it a habit of going under any and every screen set for Exum, which effectively kills any half-court action set up by the Jazz. According to Synergy, he grades out in the 46th percentile as the pick and roll ball-handler.
Utah’s offensive rating decreases by nearly six points when Exum is on the floor, largely due to this effect. Players such as Rudy Gobert, who are especially dependent on spacing and passes to set him up for scores, are hurt the most.
His assist-to-turnover ratio, which comes in at just over 1.4, isn’t at all acceptable for a modern facilitator. Many of his gaffes in terms of losing the ball come from overextending himself, trying to force drives to the basket that aren’t there or failing to recognize a defensive rotation and throwing the ball away.
His rawness manifests itself on the defensive end as well, as he’ll often find himself lost against pin-down screens or in help defense. For a team that relies on their defense as much as the Jazz do, mistakes on that end will lead to a seat back on the bench in a hurry.