The J-Notes
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Midseason Grades For Every Utah Jazz Player

By Ryan Aston

Dec 23, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) warms up prior to their game against the Toronto Raptors at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 23, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) warms up prior to their game against the Toronto Raptors at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dante Exum Utah Jazz
Jan 13, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum (11) goes to the basket with Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (34) following during the third quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Utah Jazz won the game 110-77. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports /

Dante Exum

We knew it was going to be a long road for Dante Exum after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. That continues to be the case, of course, but I don’t think Jazz fans would have anticipated some of the adversity Exum has faced this season.

At various junctures, he’s been the odd man out in the Jazz point guard rotation. This coming after playing in all 82 games and starting 41 of them as a rookie. True, the Jazz are in win-now mode with Hill running point, but if the Ex-man is ever going to live up to the potential he showed as the No. 5 overall pick in 2014, he needs to play.

Unfortunately, it’s been an up-and-down experience on the floor when he has. Early in the season, he showed newfound aggression in attacking the rim and the length and awareness defensively that excited us in year one. Since then, he’s occasionally looked lost on both sides of the floor and his confidence has taken a hit.

It’s not entirely his fault — Coach Snyder has to take a share of the blame for how Exum’s season is unfolding. Either way, it hasn’t been a good year on the court for Exum in terms of measurable production. The question now is whether or not he can respond to the adversity and become the impact player he’s shown flashes of being.

Grade: D+

Next: Joe Ingles

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