Can the Dante Exum Experiment Please End

[Quin's Murderface]

He'll definitely be recovering for this entire season. During the second half of the year He should start to get much closer and next season he'll almost certainly be back to full health barring injury.

I was at the game last night, and Dante was probably the best player on the floor in the first half. Sure it was only the Nuggets, but he was putting a lot of pressure on the D and his defense was excellent. If I could choose one wing defender on the team in a crunch time situation I would choose Dante without question. If you can't see the potential not only to be a very good NBA player in the future, but also in his ability to be a valuable backup PG during this season then I think you need to reevaluate your own knowledge of the game.

The crazy thing that I see here is that people are still harping on his handle (it has improved immensely since his rookie season) and his aggression (again it has improved a ton. Look at his FT's to see a good example of how much more aggressive he has been). His defense has been good for most of the season, even though it isn't showing in the advanced stats. Advanced defensive stats are not incredibly reliable or valuable when used to determine how a single player is defending overall.

I've only been a lurker for a while here, so not sure if this was a troll thread or not. But legit basketball minds are laughing at people who think Dante is some kind of bust. He's gonna be a very good player.

 

[Thee Jazz Fan]

It will be interesting to see how long the Dante apologists claim he's still recovering from his injury. Does his prior injury explain an unsightly and ineffective jumpshot, subpar handles, and the inability to benchpress 200 lbs?

I've never claimed this. We need to have patience. The way I see it is exum is young as hell in his second year. He's going through growing pains, and there's going to be peeks and valleys. Just seeing the improvements from last year to this is noticeable.

 

[Spinoza]

It will be interesting to see how long the Dante apologists claim he's still recovering from his injury. Does his prior injury explain an unsightly and ineffective jumpshot, subpar handles, and the inability to benchpress 200 lbs?

"Apologists". There's nothing to apologize for. He's at his expected point in development. We can't know if he's going to fulfill his potential yet, but everyone knew he was a long-term project when drafted. He's about 100 games into his NBA career. Let's revisit this after another one or two hundred games.

 

[8]

"Apologists". There's nothing to apologize for. He's at his expected point in development. We can't know if he's going to fulfill his potential yet, but everyone knew he was a long-term project when drafted. He's about 100 games into his NBA career. Let's revisit this after another one or two hundred games.

The Jazz are losing games due to subpar PG play this season. This is not something that can be revisited, it must be addressed immediately. The ridiculous on/offcourt numbers have shown that Dante simply cannot help in winning games. Due to the constant injuries, the Jazz need a better backup plan than a player with no skills.

 

[r_u_s_t_b_u_c_k_e_t]

... If it weren't for his high draft position, everyone on here would be calling for his head. But just because you're drafted high doesn't mean you're any good...

This.

 

[FalseFlagg K]

The Jazz are losing games due to subpar PG play this season. This is not something that can be revisited, it must be addressed immediately. The ridiculous on/offcourt numbers have shown that Dante simply cannot help in winning games. Due to the constant injuries, the Jazz need a better backup plan than a player with no skills.

serious question ... how do you reconcile that his +/- was good and the team won so much with him starting in his rookie year when he probably displayed far less skill ?

 

[FalseFlagg K]

The Jazz are losing games due to subpar PG play this season. This is not something that can be revisited, it must be addressed immediately. The ridiculous on/offcourt numbers have shown that Dante simply cannot help in winning games. Due to the constant injuries, the Jazz need a better backup plan than a player with no skills.

serious question ... how do you reconcile that his +/- was good and the team won so much with him starting in his rookie year when he probably displayed far less skill ?

 

[jope]

serious question ... how do you reconcile that his +/- was good and the team won so much with him starting in his rookie year when he probably displayed far less skill ?

He is taking far more risks this season. Hes still passive, but his rookie year he was basically playing hot potato with the ball. He was afraid to make a mistake, and still is, but is taking more risks and messing up more as well.

 

[FalseFlagg K]

He is taking far more risks this season. Hes still passive, but his rookie year he was basically playing hot potato with the ball. He was afraid to make a mistake, and still is, but is taking more risks and messing up more as well.

So if he went back to playing hot potato with the ball again he'd have a much better +\- that's your summation ?

 

[Isaiah 1:13]

I honestly thought this was a spoof thread until I started reading some of the posts. Exum looked brilliant against the Nuggets - very assertive and decisive. He owned Mudiay last night. Fantastic slashing and finishing at the rim, often times off the wrong foot to fool defenders, beautiful alley oop to Gobert at the rim.

I'll be honest and admit that I'm still not certain that starting point guard is in the cards for Exum, at least in the immediate future with Hill's impact. But that doesn't take away from the fact that he's made huge strides this year AND is so versatile contributing at the wing as well as back-up point. Do we have a better defender in the back court? I don't think so.

I wonder if the detractors realize just how athletically gifted this guy is. How many young PG starters and understudies around the league have this guys speed and hops? Lavine is the only guy I can think of and he's more of a two than a one. I wouldn't trade him for MCW or Elfrid Payton or M. Smart or D. Russell or Hollis-Jefferson myself. He may never be a Westbrook or a Curry or a Irving but I never had those kinds of pipe dreams for a #5 pick out of high school. This kid's already made it whether you know it or not and is definitely contributing and helping this team. Anybody who doesn't see that either has unrealistic expectations or is way too impatient IMHO.

 

[FalseFlagg K]

I honestly thought this was a spoof thread until I started reading some of the posts. Exum looked brilliant against the Nuggets - very assertive and decisive. He owned Mudiay last night. Fantastic slashing and finishing at the rim, often times off the wrong foot to fool defenders, beautiful alley oop to Gobert at the rim.

I'll be honest and admit that I'm still not certain that starting point guard is in the cards for Exum, at least in the immediate future with Hill's impact. But that doesn't take away from the fact that he's made huge strides this year AND is so versatile contributing at the wing as well as back-up point. Do we have a better defender in the back court? I don't think so.

I wonder if the detractors realize just how athletically gifted this guy is. How many young PG starters and understudies around the league have this guys speed and hops? Lavine is the only guy I can think of and he's more of a two than a one. I wouldn't trade him for MCW or Elfrid Payton or M. Smart or D. Russell or Hollis-Jefferson myself. He may never be a Westbrook or a Curry or a Irving but I never had those kinds of pipe dreams for a #5 pick out of high school. This kid's already made it whether you know it or not and is definitely contributing and helping this team. Anybody who doesn't see that either has unrealistic expectations or is way too impatient IMHO.

Don't think his hops are anything other than pretty average if that

 

[NAOS]

He's at his expected point in development.

Can I get a link to that spreadsheet you're looking at? tia