According to Clutch Points’ Anthony Irwin, the Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly “interested” in signing former No. 5 overall pick Dante Exum in free agency.
On his “Lakers Lounge Podcast,” Irwin mentioned that the Lakers are looking at potentially bringing in the Australian guard on a veteran minimum contract, partly due to his connections with both Luka Doncic and Lakers GM Rob Pelinka. Exum previously played two seasons alongside Doncic in Dallas and was once represented by Pelinka as a client.
“Rob Pelinka was previously [Dante Exum’s] agent,” Irwin said. “So you have that built-in relationship… He is a very solid perimeter defender. I like that he’s a little bigger, a little longer, which is something the Lakers [need]… He is somebody the Lakers are going to be interested in.”
Now 6-foot-5, Exum has developed into a dependable 3-and-D guard in recent seasons. He shot an impressive 49% from three (averaging 1.0 made three per game) during the 2024 regular season and was defensively solid throughout Dallas’ playoff run to the NBA Finals.
Exum’s Injury Concerns
Despite his resurgence, Exum remains available at a low price due to a lengthy injury history. Last season, he played only 20 games after suffering a fractured left hand. The year before, he was limited to 55 games due to foot injuries.
Between 2020-21 and 2023-24, Exum spent over two years out of the NBA, mainly because of persistent ankle and knee issues early in his career. These health concerns contributed to the Utah Jazz moving on from him after four and a half seasons. He was the No. 5 overall selection in the 2014 draft.
Over his career, Exum has posted modest averages of 6.3 points and 2.3 assists, but his role with the Mavericks proved he’s still capable of contributing off the bench in the league.
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Other Free Agent Possibilities
Multiple insiders believe the Lakers plan to use their taxpayer midlevel exception (around $5.7 million) on a backup center. However, they’re also considering options like veteran shooters Gary Trent Jr. or Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Another name linked to LA is De’Anthony Melton, who will also be an unrestricted free agent after spending the 2024-25 season with the Warriors.
According to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, both Melton and Exum are among the guards the Lakers are eyeing.
“Guards off the top of my head, I did hear [LA Times writer] Dan Woike mention De’Anthony Melton, and I like that name. Dante Exum, a former Rob Pelinka client, I like that name, too,” Buha said on his podcast in late May.
“For Exum, I view him more as like a fifth guard. I would not want him as the primary addition. Melton, there’s some risk with him coming off the injury, but I think he’s an upside play that, especially for the vet minimum contract, could outperform it.”
As of now, the Lakers have only nine players under contract for the 2025-26 campaign. That number could rise to 11 if LeBron James ($52.6 million player option) and Dorian Finney-Smith ($15.3 million player option) opt in.
