Mavs Fill Roster With Signing of Australian Star in Free Agency

Sources told ESPN that the Dallas Mavericks have re-signed point guard Dante Exum to a one-year free agent contract.

According to front office insider Bobby Marks, Dallas falls just short of exceeded the dreaded second apron. Exum's cap hit is expected to be $2.3 million this season.

Exum fills the Mavericks' roster as the team's 16th standard NBA contract, which suggests one player could be on the move via a trade.

Exum was one of two returning Mavs guards who were unrestricted free agents this offseason. The other was Spencer Dinwiddie, who recently signed a new deal to join the Charlotte Hornets.

The upcoming season will be Exum's third with the Mavericks and 10th in the NBA. He has missed an entire year due to injury earlier in his career. After spending time on the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers, Exum spent two seasons overseas before signing with Dallas in 2023.

Exum had a career-year in 2024-25 with the Mavericks, averaging a career in points points and three-point percentage. However, he played just 20 games due to a major wrist injury suffered just before the season started.

The Australian guard came up big for Jason Kidd's team as the Mavs dealt with multiple injuries to the back court. He averaged 8.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 47.8 percent shooting and 43.7 percent from deep in 18.6 minutes per game.

This move comes after Dallas found their much-needed stopgap point guard in free agent D'Angelo Russell, who signed a two-year, $13 million contract as free agency opened Monday and is expected to man the ball-handling duties in the starting lineup while Kyrie Irving recovers from injury.

Exum is expected to lead Dallas' second unit with Russell as the starter for the first few months of the season.