After losing Gordon Hayward to free agency during the offseason the Utah Jazz were counting on younger players to fill the void. One of them may need to wait before stepping up to do so.
Fourth-year guard Dante Exum fell heavily to the floor during Friday’s home game against Phoenix, immediately leaving the game and headed straight to the locker room. After Utah’s 112-101 victory, Jazz head coach Quin Snyder admitted that Exum’s injury “didn’t look good.”
Dante Exum falls hard to the ground and comes up grabbing his shoulder and sprints to the locker-room
— David Locke (@Lockedonsports) October 7, 2017
Quin Snyder didn't sound optimistic at all on Dante Exum. Said "obviously if you speculate, it didn't look good, if you saw his shoulder"
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) October 7, 2017
Dante Exum is getting some MRI tests to find out extent of his left shoulder injury. "It wasn't good," Quin Snyder said.
— Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) October 7, 2017
Saturday morning, the Jazz are still fearing the worst — a season-ending injury, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Sources: Utah's Dante Exum could miss season with separated left shoulder. Doctors, Jazz officials conferring on recovery/timetable options.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 7, 2017
Exum missed the entire 2015-16 campaign after undergoing ACL surgery on his left knee. He appeared primed for a breakout season, however, after averaging 20.0 points, 6.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game during the 2017 NBA Summer League.