One of the pressing Jazz storylines of 2014-15, one of the intriguing rookie subplots of any team, and they are not close to a resolution. They don't even look close to getting close.
The season started, and nothing happened. One of the other Utah guards, Rodney Hood, was sidelined, forced into a walking boot by a foot injury, and that didn't change anything either. Dante Exum, the 2014 lottery-pick point guard, and Trey Burke, the 2013 lottery-pick point guard, have played a total of 21 minutes together and never more than seven in any of the five games they partnered on the court.
Either first-time coach Quin Snyder, experienced as an assistant and very smart, is taking his time getting around to the topic or, very unlikely, he has already decided it is a bad collaboration. Bottom line, though, is we're two weeks in and Exum-Burke is as unresolved as ever.
It's still incredibly early, especially the part about this being a piece of the Jazz future, and Exum is getting increased minutes during an encouraging start to reach 19.4 overall. (All statistics heading into Tuesday's schedule.) But continuing in the same positive direction means more playing time. That leads to a greater chance for a player who entered the league with a high profile to enter the conversation for Rookie of the Year, especially when a lot of front offices around the league didn't think he was ready for an immediate impact. The starter-reserve issue has a place in the discussion.
Exum insisted at every opportunity leading to the draft that he is a true point guard, not simply a scorer who needs the ball in his hands to create opportunities with elite athleticism. He can defend shooting guards, but doesn't have the perimeter game yet to truly succeed playing off the ball. And Burke, without a jumper, without the size to handle shooting guard or the athleticism to compensate, can only play point guard.
The Jazz have months ahead to reach a conclusion. It's just that Exum has quickly handled himself as something other than a prospect with practically no experience against good competition. He is already getting more minutes, an average of 23 per game the last four outings after failing to break 20 the first four. He is already moving up the rookie rankings.
