The Mavericks backup guard will miss extended time after suffering the injury last week
Dante Exum underwent successful surgery on his injured wrist, the Dallas Mavericks announced Tuesday morning. According to ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania, Exum is expected to miss three months.
Dallas Mavericks guard Dante Exum is expected to miss three months after undergoing right wrist surgery, sources tell ESPN. Extended early loss to Mavericks backcourt. pic.twitter.com/QF9nQ84two
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 9, 2024
Exum suffered the injury last week, and according to NBA Insider Marc Stein, Exum took a hard fall that resulted in the wrist injury and the team investigated various options for recovery to see if Exum could avoid surgery. Now with surgery confirmed, Exum likely won’t be back until January or February.
The latest on Dante Exum’s wrist injury from our own @TheSteinLine. pic.twitter.com/SGf7ZB1grZ
— DLLS Mavs (@DLLS_Mavs) October 7, 2024
While no injury is good news, the Mavericks are at least well-built to absorb an injury to their backcourt. Dallas will technically start three guards with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson, while having guards Quentin Grimes, Jaden Hardy, and Spencer Dinwiddie off the bench. Dallas should be able to weather the storm of Exum’s absence, and this presents a big opportunity for Hardy, the third-year guard who flashed during the Mavericks Finals run this past summer. Hardy responded with a 21-point performance in the Mavericks first preseason game on Sunday, leading all scorers.
Exum was a key cog to the Mavericks last season, emerging as a key-rotation player in December, knocking down clutch shots, and finishing the season shooting nearly 50 percent from three. He slumped a bit in the playoffs and didn’t get consistent minutes, but the regular-season version of Exum that showed off last season was a hugely important player to the Mavericks success, especially when Doncic and Irving missed games due to injury. Of all the Mavericks backup guards, Exum is the most well-rounded — he has size, passing, defense, and now shooting if last season’s results are to be believed going forward.
It’s unfortunate timing as Exum’s basketball career has been plagued by injuries — it’s the entire reason the Mavericks were able to sign him to such a small contract last summer. Thankfully if Exum returns after three months, there will be plenty of season left for him to get his legs under him and make an impact on the team.