Dante Exum Signs Short-Term Deal With Barcelona

Free agent guard Dante Exum has officially signed a three-month contract with Spanish club Barcelona, the team announced, via Eurohoops.

Exum’s deal will expire on Feb. 28. International basketball journalist reporter Chema de Lucas first reported on Exum’s pending deal with Barcelona over the weekend.

Exum, 26, is 6-foot-6 and was originally drafted by the Jazz with the No. 5 overall pick in 2014, but has seen his career derailed by leg injuries. He was cut by the Rockets on the eve of this regular season.

After spending six years with the Jazz, Exum was traded to the Cavaliers late in 2019. The Cavs sent him to Houston as part of the James Harden trade in January. As part of the deal, the Cavs received Jarrett Allen from the Nets. 

Exum averaged 5.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 30 games with the Cavs, but never suited up for the Rockets. He signed a three-year nonguaranteed deal with Houston before being waived.

He carries career averages of 5.7 points, 2.1 assists and 1.8 rebounds, and averaged 9.0 points in Australia’s run to the bronze medal at the 2021 Summer Olympic games in Tokyo.

?@daanteee, a reinforcement for the perimeter

✅26-year-old Australian guard signs until February 28

?https://t.co/DXtxaK3VOy pic.twitter.com/hcfGCoJ0yA

— Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) December 7, 2021

Barcelona released a statement on the signing. It read as follows:

“Barça and the player Dante Exum have reached agreement for the Australian guard to join on a short-term contract until February 28.

Exum, a free agent, was part of the Australian team that won the bronze medal at last summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. He played six games, averaging 9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists over a 20-minute period.

NBA experience
Chosen as 5th draft pick in 2014, Dante Exum has played 245 games in the NBA with the Utah Jazz (2014-19) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (2019-21), averaging 5.7 points and 2.1 assists over 18.6 minutes. He signed a contract for the 2021/22 season with the Houston Rockets, but the Texan franchise waived it in October.

A guard with many talents
Being 198 centimetres tall, Exum can defend the three exterior positions and can also bring a lot to the attack. Exum uses his tremendous physique to cover the ground quickly, can burst into the front court and is also a threat from the outside.

The fourth Australian
Dante Exum has become the fourth Australian to play for Barça. The first was during the 2008/09 season, David Andersen, who had a Danish passport. He was followed by Joe Ingles during the 2010/11 season and Nathan Jawai during the 2012/13 season.”