NBA Free Agency 2018: 5 offseason targets for the Utah Jazz

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MAY 6: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz and Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz high-five during the game against the Houston Rockets during Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 6, 2018 at the Vivint Smart Home Arena Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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5. Dante Exum

Dante Exum has had somewhat of a frustrating career. Pre-draft evaluations in 2014 fawned over his athleticism and long frame. With a killer first step and solid passing vision, he had all the tools to become a two-way star. Dante even drew a few Kobe Bryant comparisons — lofty praise for any prospect. Four years later, Exum has largely failed to blossom into a legit two-way threat. Injuries have of course played a major part in his slow development.

Even so, Exum has definitely shown some positive signs during his healthy stretches. He’s become a ferocious defender, as he demonstrated in the playoffs. Dante consistently had some of the toughest assignments of any Jazz defender, guarding guys like Russell Westbrook and James Harden. He played them tough, pressuring the ball and getting into their airspace. At the very least Exum can be a great defensive guard, even if he never puts together an above average offensive game.

While Exum’s offense is concerning, Utah shouldn’t give up on him just yet. The holes in his game on that end of the floor are obvious; the Australian’s jump shot is the foremost of his issues. He’s both unwilling and generally unable to shoot from 3-point range, which shrinks the floor for the Jazz when he’s off the ball. But Exum also offers many promising attributes that are vitally important in today’s NBA. He’s super fast and loves to push the ball in transition, sparking chances on the break. When Dante is running, his game looks much smoother. Exum has improved his finishing at the basket, making him a dual threat in transition. He can get to the rim and finish or set up teammates for easy looks.

As Exum enters restricted free agency, his salary will be on Utah’s books as a cap hold $14 million. We’ll get a sense of how the Jazz view this free agency window based on how they deal with Exum. If they are in no rush to clear that hold by either re-signing or parting ways with Dante, they’ll almost certainly be operating as an over the cap team this summer. Whether or not they retain him will likely depend on how his market shapes up though. With limited cap room across the league, would anyone offer Exum a lucrative deal? That’s difficult to say. If his market is cool, the Jazz could probably keep him on a deal starting at an annual value within the $8-$10 million range.

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