NBA Notes: Mavericks, Dante Exum, Talen Horton-Tucker, Matt Thomas

It took a while, but it’s finally done. Nearly two months after word first leaked, Dante Exum has officially re-signed with the Mavericks, according to the league’s transaction log.

Exum, who turns 30 later this month, has carved out a solid role in Dallas when healthy. The former No. 5 pick has battled injuries throughout his career — most recently wrist surgery and a broken hand that limited him to 20 games last season. Still, he averaged 8.0 points, 2.8 assists and shot an impressive 47 percent from three.

The Mavericks waived and stretched Olivier-Maxence Prosper to open the space for Exum, but the cap crunch isn’t over. With Kyrie Irving’s new deal and D’Angelo Russell’s signing coming in, Dallas will have to make another move to stay below the second tax apron. Waiving Brandon Williams is the simplest option, though he proved useful last year.

Exum’s return gives Dallas another steady veteran guard. Whether the roster juggling is finished remains to be seen.

THT weighing overseas deal: Talen Horton-Tucker may be headed overseas, but he is holding out hope for one more NBA shot.

According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews, the 24-year-old guard/forward is finalizing a deal with Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce. Bugra Uzar of Eurohoops added that Horton-Tucker has an agreement in place, but he is waiting a few more days to see if another NBA contract materializes before making it official.

Horton-Tucker has already packed plenty into his six NBA seasons. He won a title as a rookie with the Lakers in 2020, spent three years in L.A., then two with Utah before joining the Bulls last year. Chicago brought him in on an Exhibit 10 deal that turned into a standard contract after he made the roster and stuck past the January guarantee deadline.

He appeared in 58 games for the Bulls, averaging 6.5 points in 12.5 minutes a night. For his career, he has played in 305 NBA games with averages of 9.2 points, 2.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds.

If he does sign with Fenerbahce, Horton-Tucker would join a roster featuring several former NBA players, including Brandon Boston Jr.

Thomas heads to Granada: Matt Thomas is taking his shooting touch to Spain.

The former NBA guard has signed with Fundación CB Granada for the 2025-26 season, the team announced. Thomas, 31, played three years in the NBA with the Raptors, Jazz and Bulls, appearing in 126 games from 2019-22.

He has since spent two seasons in the EuroLeague with ALBA Berlin, where he averaged 12.3 points on 46 percent three-point shooting in 21 games last season.

Granada is coming off a 9-25 finish in Spain’s Liga ACB, and Thomas gives the club a proven perimeter weapon as it tries to climb the standings.