Dante Exum has finally found his place in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks.

The NBA is typically a one-way door. When a player leaves for another league, it indicates that they no longer meet the league’s demands or that teams no longer regard them as an NBA-caliber player.

That’s what makes Dante Exum’s reemergence so intriguing. Utah selected Exum fifth overall in the 2014 NBA Draft as a 6’5 dynamic point guard who could both run the show and fill in the gaps as an off-ball player. Exum’s talent was never realized in Utah due to a slew of injuries that took his entire second season and limited his future contributions. He would only play 215 games in five seasons before being traded to Cleveland in 2020, where he would play 30 games in 2021.

Exum’s abilities as a disruptive driver who also doubled as a connective passer shone through during his first NBA stint. In the 2018 playoffs, he became an infamous point of attack defender when Utah used a devious plan to defend James Harden from behind on pick-and-roll actions. Utah was only able to use that strategy because Exum was both long enough to disrupt Harden and quick enough to potentially get back in front of him on drives. There was a high-level basketball player somewhere in Exum, but injuries and an inconsistent jumper kept that player from ever becoming a reality.

Exum moved to Europe in 2021 to play for FC Barcelona, where most would expect him to become a Remember Some Guys All-Star. But something interesting happened while he was away: he honed his best basketball skills while improving the jumper that had plagued him in the NBA. Exum shot 52 percent on just over one attempt per game in his first EuroLeague season, then 42 percent on more than two attempts per game the following year. The improvement in shooting was encouraging, but not significant enough to guarantee a return to the NBA.

However, the Dallas Mavericks signed Exum to a one-year contract last offseason after hiring former Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey as a consultant — Lindsey drafted Exum in 2014 and played a significant role in the signing. Exum began the season as the third point guard on the bench behind Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Due to those two needing the ball and the team’s desire to get reps for young guards Josh Green and Jared Hardy, it was unclear how much Exum would play. However, as the season has progressed, Exum has progressed from a player who has a minor impact on the game to an important part of the team’s rotation.

Exum played just 11 minutes per night in 13 November games and shot a pedestrian 26 percent on threes, but he had an 8.7 net rating. Most importantly, Exum thrived alongside Doncic and Irving by initiating sets and allowing both to enter pick-and-roll actions on the fly. Dallas has quietly reduced the amount of time the ball is in Doncic’s hands by allowing other players to bring the ball up the floor and initiate sets, reducing the amount of time the ball is in Doncic’s hands. Exum, Doncic, and Irving have played 40 minutes together this season and have a net rating of plus-49.8.

Exum was getting into his stride alongside that duo when the Mavericks suffered injuries to both Irving and Green, forcing Exum into a secondary ball-handling role. The promotion led to Exum’s best stretch of his career. Exum is averaging 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game in eight December games, shooting 62 percent from the field and 53 percent on threes. This included a 26-point performance against the Lakers in a nationally televised win in which Exum hit seven three-pointers — the Lakers’ game plan was to leave Exum open, and he made them pay.

Exum’s game has been highlighted by his three-point shooting, but he has also demonstrated the finishing skills that earned him a top-5 draft pick. Exum’s length and quickness allowed him to get into the paint consistently early in his career, but he frequently got into the paint without a plan or the strength to finish around the rim. Exum is shooting 73 percent from five feet away this season. It’s a welcome sight for a Mavericks team that, outside of Doncic and Irving, struggles to generate consistent rim pressure. Exum revs up the Maverick offense, and when he gets to the basket, he hits a high percentage shot. The Mavericks’ pace is 102.75 when Exum is on the court. They were 28th in pace last season, with 97.2.

Exum’s hellfire three-point percentage will not be maintained, but if he can settle into being a consistent option, he has all the tools to be one of the best role players in basketball. He’s a big, smart guard who can help Irving and Doncic improve while also filling in if either of them misses a game. Exum’s first season in the NBA did not go as planned, but he went to Europe, refined his game, and returned as a player who will play in the NBA for some time.

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