Options For The Utah Jazz With Dante Exum Out
By Spencer
Apr 10, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum (11) dribbles the ball
as Memphis Grizzlies guard Beno Udrih (19) defends during the second half at EnergySolutions Arena. Memphis won 89-88.
Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Much has been written about the devastating injury that Utah Jazz point guard Dante Exum suffered. This is terrible news in all aspects. The biggest concern the Jazz have is making sure Exum gets proper treatment and support. This type of injury will take a lot of work to come back from, and Purple & Blues wishes Dante the best during these efforts.
The Jazz have yet to release a timeline for Exum’s return. While he could possibly make a return this season if his recovery goes very well, the Jazz are probably working under the assumption that he is out for the season.
Exum’s impact last year may have been minimal as far as basic stats go, but he was an important pillar for this team. The fact that the rookie played the fifth most minutes of any Jazzman tells you how vital Quin Snyder thought he was. Advanced statistics also show that he was a wonderful defender, specifically after the All-Star break.
Kevin Pelton from ESPN wrote about how important Exum is, and noted one statistical projection showing that this injury could cost the Jazz five wins in 2015-16.
So what options do the Utah Jazz have at this time? We will look at three potential strategies–stand pat, make a trade or get clever with the rotation.
Next: Standing Pat