The Utah Jazz may have lost second year player Dante Exum to a torn ACL injury, as reports have the point guard coming down with a serious injury while playing for the Australian national team and now Trey Burke likely will have the starting job this season for the Jazz, while rookie Trey Lyles adds depth behind Derrick Favors on the roster.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, Utah radio host Tim Montemayor reports that Exum was "diagnosed with a torn ACL" while playing for Australia in Slovenia for the national team in an exhibition game. The Jazz had Exum penciled in to play a bigger role this season on offense and now he could be out for a lengthy period after the ACL injury. Exum played in all 82 games last season after being a top five pick and the injury was reportedly a "non-contact" injury.
Exum averaged 4.8 points and 2.4 assists per game last season and he dealt with an ankle injury earlier in the offseason while playing for the Jazz Summer League team. Exum only played in one game and had 20 points, five boards and five assists in the matchup. Trey Burke now will have a chance to step up again with Exum out and he said last week to the Salt Lake Tribune that he is "hungry" for the season to start. Burke was shopped in trades this offseason, but the Jazz did not come close to making a deal.
Burke comes in after averaging 12.8 points per game with 4.3 assists in 76 games. Trey Lyles is another young player on the roster after being drafted this year and he signed a four year deal worth $10 million with Utah. Lyles played well during the Summer League, opening with 10 points in his first game and scoring 13 points with nine rebounds in a game against the Wolves. Lyles adds some depth behind Derrick Favors and Trevor Booker and if he looks good in camp and early on, he could get some extended minutes.
The Jazz reportedly were looking to trade Derrick Favors this offseason, but the Salt Lake Tribune reported in late June that the team was "not shopping" the forward. Jody Genessy of the Deseret News reported about the trade possibility for Favors, but the team did not come close to making a move with the 24-year-old. Last season Favors averaged 16 points and 8.2 rebounds in 74 games played and he is signed through 2018-19.
Favors is not the worst trade target for teams, as he is fairly affordable at $12 million, $11 million and $12 million over the next three seasons. While that could be a lot for some teams to take on, compared to what free agents are getting now on the market Favors is a bargain at his age. Favors has increased his scoring in each season he has been in the NBA and over the last two years he has averaged over eight rebounds per game. The Jazz are considered an up and coming team in the west and while the playoffs may be out of reach, the team was expecting to be competitive this season.
Check here for more on the Exum injury and the Utah Jazz offseason moves.
