After months of grueling rehab work and a couple days of practice sessions with the parent team’s G League squad, Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum is ready to get back on an NBA court again.
Exum will be back in the lineup tonight against the Phoenix Suns (9 ET, NBA League Pass), creating an odd bit of symmetry for Exum. He suffered the shoulder injury that has kept him sidelined in the preseason against the Suns.
“I’m excited to finally get out there tonight and join the guys in this successful season they’ve been having and fit right in,” Exum said. “I think it’s a good thing. … I’m looking at it as a way to pick up where I left off,” Exum said. “Just to get through this game and keep going forward.”
Exum has been recovering from left shoulder surgery that took place in mid-October. He spent the last two days going through practices with the Salt Lake City Stars as part of the final stages of his return to action.
Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune has more on Exum and where he may fit into Utah’s rotation as it makes a playoff push:
Primary backup point guard Raul Neto fractured his wrist Sunday against the New Orleans Pelicans, which will cause him to miss at least two weeks.
So Exum certainly can play 10 to 15 minutes a night in relief of Ricky Rubio and Donovan Mitchell. His first step always has been fast and explosive, and his defense at all the perimeter spots always has been very good.
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One thing is for sure: Utah’s bench has been thin lately. The Jazz played eight guys primary minutes in Tuesday’s win over the Detroit Pistons with a sprinkling of Alec Burks as the ninth guy. So Exum probably can find minutes as a placeholder at first if nothing else.
