With NBA free agency less than a week away, the Dallas Mavericks might soon be saying goodbye to another fan-favorite—this time to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Just hours after selecting Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick, the Mavericks are expected to shift their focus to free agency, beginning June 30. On Tuesday night, they secured Kyrie Irving with a team-friendly extension, setting up a core of Irving, Flagg, and Anthony Davis for the foreseeable future. However, with Irving potentially unavailable early in the season, Dallas is urgently looking for a reliable backup point guard to fill the gap.
Dante Exum is one player the Mavericks are eyeing to return for bench depth and ball-handling support. But according to Lakers insider Anthony Irwin, Los Angeles is also “interested in signing Exum” during free agency—particularly if they can get him on a veteran minimum deal.
Like Dallas, the Lakers are in need of more playmaking, and adding Exum could quietly be a savvy move—especially since it would reunite him with Luka Doncic. While it may fly under the radar for some, his departure would be a notable loss for the Mavs.
Although Exum’s time in Dallas has been marred by injuries—appearing in only 75 games over two seasons—his absence would leave the Mavs thin in terms of experienced ball handlers. Currently, Brandon Williams and Jaden Hardy are the only healthy options in that role.
The Mavericks also risk losing Spencer Dinwiddie to free agency. Losing both him and Exum could turn into a more significant setback than fans might expect. While Dallas has been linked to several veteran guards, including Chris Paul, Malcolm Brogdon, Dennis Schroder, and D’Angelo Russell, retaining Exum would give them a dependable presence off the bench.
Exum has delivered in clutch moments throughout his stint with Dallas, and fans will be watching closely to see where he lands this offseason. Should he end up joining the Lakers, they’d be adding a proven veteran who has shown he can both complement Doncic and lead the second unit when needed. His size, length, and versatility allow him to play seamlessly across the one through three positions.
Exum’s presence over the last couple of seasons has been a major asset for Dallas. He was one of their most trusted secondary ball handlers, especially when Doncic or Irving was sidelined. Among the reserve guards, Exum arguably made the fewest mistakes and played with a consistent, composed style.
He may not be a nightly stat-sheet stuffer, but he’s efficient, defends well, hits open shots, and is an excellent teammate. “You can’t ask for much more out of your backup point guard,” the article notes. If the Lakers succeed in “stealing him from the Mavericks’ grasp” to reunite him with Doncic, it would be a tough pill to swallow for Dallas fans.
Still, the disappointment could be tempered if Dallas uses its $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception wisely—either by signing a stronger replacement in free agency or pulling off a trade. With reported interest in players like Russell and Paul, losing Exum might not sting as much when the dust settles—assuming, of course, the Lakers follow through on their interest as Irwin suggested.
