Dante Exum has had some absolutely terrible luck with injuries during his NBA career. Exum missed all of the 2015-16 campaign due to an ACL tear, then missed 68 games during the 2017-18 season because of shoulder surgery. He’s a talented young player, but unfortunately for him, Exum just has not been able to stay healthy.
We saw some flashes out of Exum during the 2018 postseason, as he mixed stingy defense with the ability to navigate Utah’s offense, especially during the Jazz’s series against Houston. But the fourth-year guard unfortunately got bit by the injury bug again during Game 4, as Exum suffered a leg injury that looked really painful.
Exum suffered the injury on a Jazz possession in the third quarter. He finished things out on the possession in question by attempting a jumper, but after he missed, he immediately made his way into the tunnel towards Utah’s locker room.
Dante Exum limps off the court pic.twitter.com/ijHlmgT0Vg
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) May 7, 2018
This looks horrible. Danté Exum looks to have suffered a non-contact injury to his left leg. Limped off the court into the tunnel, then fell to the floor in pain. Couldn't put weight on it, as he was helped to the locker room.
— Olgun Uluc (@OlgunUluc) May 7, 2018
Exum underwent evaluation by the Jazz medical staff and was ruled out with what was officially called left hamstring soreness.
Danté Exum (left hamstring soreness) will not return.
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) May 7, 2018
Hopefully calling it something that vague means he just suffered a nasty cramp and there’s not a much bigger issue that needs to be taken care of down the line. Exum is the kind of player you root for with the hopes that he can shake the injury bug and reach his considerable potential, so hopefully this is a small bump in the road and he’ll be able to suit up for Game 5.
