Exum set for Mavs return as No.1 pick signs rookie deal
Exum has reportedly shunned two other options in free agency and agreed to a one-year deal with the Mavericks.
Kyrie Irving will be sidelined by a knee injury until at least mid-season, meaning Exum could be called on to play significant minutes in the back-court alongside new addition D'Angelo Russell.
But the 29-year-old Melbourne product has to stay fit, after being sidelined by a wrist injury last season as his horror run of setbacks continued.
Exum made just 20 appearances for the Mavs throughout the 2024/25 campaign, averaging 8.7 points, 2.8 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 0.6 steals in 18.6 minutes per game.
Dallas will have to clear a roster spot to re-sign Exum, who was one of a record 15 Australians in the NBA last season.
Another four - Rocco Zikarsky (Minnesota), Tyrese Proctor (Cleveland), Alex Toohey (Golden State) and Lachlan Olbrich (Chicago) - were selected at last month's draft.
Flagg, meanwhile, has signed a deal worth about $US62.7 million, with a first-year salary of about $US13.8 million.
There are team options in the third and fourth seasons of rookie deals.
Flagg is set to feature in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas this month, having joined the Mavs after they converted a 1.8 per cent chance to win the draft lottery.
The 18-year-old led the Duke Blue Devils to the NCAA Final Four in his only collegiate season.
He joins a Mavs front-court that should include 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and promising young centre Dereck Lively II, Flagg's fellow Duke alum.
Australian guard Dante Exum is set to extend his NBA stint with the Dallas Mavericks, who have signed No.1 draft pick Cooper Flagg to his four-year rookie contract.
Exum has reportedly shunned two other options in free agency and agreed to a one-year deal with the Mavericks.
Kyrie Irving will be sidelined by a knee injury until at least mid-season, meaning Exum could be called on to play significant minutes in the back-court alongside new addition D'Angelo Russell.
But the 29-year-old Melbourne product has to stay fit, after being sidelined by a wrist injury last season as his horror run of setbacks continued.
Exum made just 20 appearances for the Mavs throughout the 2024/25 campaign, averaging 8.7 points, 2.8 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 0.6 steals in 18.6 minutes per game.
Dallas will have to clear a roster spot to re-sign Exum, who was one of a record 15 Australians in the NBA last season.
Another four - Rocco Zikarsky (Minnesota), Tyrese Proctor (Cleveland), Alex Toohey (Golden State) and Lachlan Olbrich (Chicago) - were selected at last month's draft.
Flagg, meanwhile, has signed a deal worth about $US62.7 million, with a first-year salary of about $US13.8 million.
There are team options in the third and fourth seasons of rookie deals.
Flagg is set to feature in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas this month, having joined the Mavs after they converted a 1.8 per cent chance to win the draft lottery.
The 18-year-old led the Duke Blue Devils to the NCAA Final Four in his only collegiate season.
He joins a Mavs front-court that should include 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and promising young centre Dereck Lively II, Flagg's fellow Duke alum.
Australian guard Dante Exum is set to extend his NBA stint with the Dallas Mavericks, who have signed No.1 draft pick Cooper Flagg to his four-year rookie contract.
Exum has reportedly shunned two other options in free agency and agreed to a one-year deal with the Mavericks.
Kyrie Irving will be sidelined by a knee injury until at least mid-season, meaning Exum could be called on to play significant minutes in the back-court alongside new addition D'Angelo Russell.
But the 29-year-old Melbourne product has to stay fit, after being sidelined by a wrist injury last season as his horror run of setbacks continued.
Exum made just 20 appearances for the Mavs throughout the 2024/25 campaign, averaging 8.7 points, 2.8 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 0.6 steals in 18.6 minutes per game.
Dallas will have to clear a roster spot to re-sign Exum, who was one of a record 15 Australians in the NBA last season.
Another four - Rocco Zikarsky (Minnesota), Tyrese Proctor (Cleveland), Alex Toohey (Golden State) and Lachlan Olbrich (Chicago) - were selected at last month's draft.
Flagg, meanwhile, has signed a deal worth about $US62.7 million, with a first-year salary of about $US13.8 million.
There are team options in the third and fourth seasons of rookie deals.
Flagg is set to feature in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas this month, having joined the Mavs after they converted a 1.8 per cent chance to win the draft lottery.
The 18-year-old led the Duke Blue Devils to the NCAA Final Four in his only collegiate season.
He joins a Mavs front-court that should include 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and promising young centre Dereck Lively II, Flagg's fellow Duke alum.
Australian guard Dante Exum is set to extend his NBA stint with the Dallas Mavericks, who have signed No.1 draft pick Cooper Flagg to his four-year rookie contract.
Exum has reportedly shunned two other options in free agency and agreed to a one-year deal with the Mavericks.
Kyrie Irving will be sidelined by a knee injury until at least mid-season, meaning Exum could be called on to play significant minutes in the back-court alongside new addition D'Angelo Russell.
But the 29-year-old Melbourne product has to stay fit, after being sidelined by a wrist injury last season as his horror run of setbacks continued.
Exum made just 20 appearances for the Mavs throughout the 2024/25 campaign, averaging 8.7 points, 2.8 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 0.6 steals in 18.6 minutes per game.
Dallas will have to clear a roster spot to re-sign Exum, who was one of a record 15 Australians in the NBA last season.
Another four - Rocco Zikarsky (Minnesota), Tyrese Proctor (Cleveland), Alex Toohey (Golden State) and Lachlan Olbrich (Chicago) - were selected at last month's draft.
Flagg, meanwhile, has signed a deal worth about $US62.7 million, with a first-year salary of about $US13.8 million.
There are team options in the third and fourth seasons of rookie deals.
Flagg is set to feature in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas this month, having joined the Mavs after they converted a 1.8 per cent chance to win the draft lottery.
The 18-year-old led the Duke Blue Devils to the NCAA Final Four in his only collegiate season.
He joins a Mavs front-court that should include 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and promising young centre Dereck Lively II, Flagg's fellow Duke alum.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Fiji have midfield missile aimed at Wallabies' Suaalii
Playing more than 160 VFL games before taking on roles with the Wallabies, All Blacks and now coach of Fiji, Mick Byrne has seen some talented athletes in his time. But the memory of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii sticks in his mind as Byrne plots a way to shut down the Wallabies superstar in Sunday's Test in Newcastle. He recalled meeting Suaalii when he was an assistant to Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, with the schoolboy making an immediate impression on the pair. "I remember when 'Cheik' and I first met him when I was at the Wallabies and a young schoolboy came in, before he signed with rugby league, and we knew then that he was a tremendous athlete," Byrne said of the NRL recruit, who will line up for his fourth Test. "I think he offers a dimension to the game that not many athletes can .... it's a bit like Izzy (Israel Folau) in his day as well, that aerial skill set as well as being really well balanced across the ground. "Like a lot of international players we come up against, we've got to keep our eye on him, but I think as a player he just offers another sort of dimension, being that aerial skill set that we'll have to be aware of as well." Byrne named a strong line-up to try to contain Suaalii and the Wallabies, who are looking to make amends after losing their last clash against Fiji at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Byrne has since replaced Simon Raiwalui as coach, but has been able to include 13 players who were part of that historic match in France, posting their first win over Australia in 69 years. That includes the entire forward pack apart from flanker Elia Canakaivata. Fiji have their own midfield weapon in Josua Tuisova, who was key to their success in Saint Etienne, with Byrne looking to get some punch from the inside centre. Weighing 113kg, Tuisova's nicknames are "Human Bulldozer" and "The Bus". "Josh shifts the ball well and he's got great feet and he's a big, strong player," Byrne said of Tuisova, who plays for Racing 92 in France's Top 14. "We've got the opportunity to use him to get across the gain line early ...so being able to have Josh there is awesome for us because he does give us pretty good go-forward." While the World Cup win has bolstered belief, Byrne said the changes to the Wallabies since then presented a different challenge as his team looked to notch a third win in Australia, with the last in 1954. "The last start was two years ago, so different coaching regime, different players on the field, and I like the way (Australia coach Joe Schmidt) has got the Wallabies playing and now they're playing great footy," Byrne said. "So they're a completely different proposition to previous and we've got to be ready for that as they've got threats across the field. "I think it'd be great to beat Australia in Australia, to get a victory on Australian soil." Playing more than 160 VFL games before taking on roles with the Wallabies, All Blacks and now coach of Fiji, Mick Byrne has seen some talented athletes in his time. But the memory of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii sticks in his mind as Byrne plots a way to shut down the Wallabies superstar in Sunday's Test in Newcastle. He recalled meeting Suaalii when he was an assistant to Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, with the schoolboy making an immediate impression on the pair. "I remember when 'Cheik' and I first met him when I was at the Wallabies and a young schoolboy came in, before he signed with rugby league, and we knew then that he was a tremendous athlete," Byrne said of the NRL recruit, who will line up for his fourth Test. "I think he offers a dimension to the game that not many athletes can .... it's a bit like Izzy (Israel Folau) in his day as well, that aerial skill set as well as being really well balanced across the ground. "Like a lot of international players we come up against, we've got to keep our eye on him, but I think as a player he just offers another sort of dimension, being that aerial skill set that we'll have to be aware of as well." Byrne named a strong line-up to try to contain Suaalii and the Wallabies, who are looking to make amends after losing their last clash against Fiji at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Byrne has since replaced Simon Raiwalui as coach, but has been able to include 13 players who were part of that historic match in France, posting their first win over Australia in 69 years. That includes the entire forward pack apart from flanker Elia Canakaivata. Fiji have their own midfield weapon in Josua Tuisova, who was key to their success in Saint Etienne, with Byrne looking to get some punch from the inside centre. Weighing 113kg, Tuisova's nicknames are "Human Bulldozer" and "The Bus". "Josh shifts the ball well and he's got great feet and he's a big, strong player," Byrne said of Tuisova, who plays for Racing 92 in France's Top 14. "We've got the opportunity to use him to get across the gain line early ...so being able to have Josh there is awesome for us because he does give us pretty good go-forward." While the World Cup win has bolstered belief, Byrne said the changes to the Wallabies since then presented a different challenge as his team looked to notch a third win in Australia, with the last in 1954. "The last start was two years ago, so different coaching regime, different players on the field, and I like the way (Australia coach Joe Schmidt) has got the Wallabies playing and now they're playing great footy," Byrne said. "So they're a completely different proposition to previous and we've got to be ready for that as they've got threats across the field. "I think it'd be great to beat Australia in Australia, to get a victory on Australian soil." Playing more than 160 VFL games before taking on roles with the Wallabies, All Blacks and now coach of Fiji, Mick Byrne has seen some talented athletes in his time. But the memory of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii sticks in his mind as Byrne plots a way to shut down the Wallabies superstar in Sunday's Test in Newcastle. He recalled meeting Suaalii when he was an assistant to Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, with the schoolboy making an immediate impression on the pair. "I remember when 'Cheik' and I first met him when I was at the Wallabies and a young schoolboy came in, before he signed with rugby league, and we knew then that he was a tremendous athlete," Byrne said of the NRL recruit, who will line up for his fourth Test. "I think he offers a dimension to the game that not many athletes can .... it's a bit like Izzy (Israel Folau) in his day as well, that aerial skill set as well as being really well balanced across the ground. "Like a lot of international players we come up against, we've got to keep our eye on him, but I think as a player he just offers another sort of dimension, being that aerial skill set that we'll have to be aware of as well." Byrne named a strong line-up to try to contain Suaalii and the Wallabies, who are looking to make amends after losing their last clash against Fiji at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Byrne has since replaced Simon Raiwalui as coach, but has been able to include 13 players who were part of that historic match in France, posting their first win over Australia in 69 years. That includes the entire forward pack apart from flanker Elia Canakaivata. Fiji have their own midfield weapon in Josua Tuisova, who was key to their success in Saint Etienne, with Byrne looking to get some punch from the inside centre. Weighing 113kg, Tuisova's nicknames are "Human Bulldozer" and "The Bus". "Josh shifts the ball well and he's got great feet and he's a big, strong player," Byrne said of Tuisova, who plays for Racing 92 in France's Top 14. "We've got the opportunity to use him to get across the gain line early ...so being able to have Josh there is awesome for us because he does give us pretty good go-forward." While the World Cup win has bolstered belief, Byrne said the changes to the Wallabies since then presented a different challenge as his team looked to notch a third win in Australia, with the last in 1954. "The last start was two years ago, so different coaching regime, different players on the field, and I like the way (Australia coach Joe Schmidt) has got the Wallabies playing and now they're playing great footy," Byrne said. "So they're a completely different proposition to previous and we've got to be ready for that as they've got threats across the field. "I think it'd be great to beat Australia in Australia, to get a victory on Australian soil."
West Australian
4 hours ago
- West Australian
LIVE UPDATES: West Coast Eagles hunt second win as Greater Western Sydney come to Perth
West Coast has made steady progress across the last two months but it's time the young Eagles learnt how to win as Greater Western Sydney come to town. Malakai Champion becomes the eighth debutant as he takes the sub vest while the Eagles will shape up the same as against Collingwood across the ground. The Giants are without Coleman medallist Jesse Hogan and star midfielder Lachie Whitfield, meaning there are no All-Australians on the field tonight. Follow all the action in our live blog. The Giants claimed an 81-point victory in round four when Jesse Hogan peeled off an equal career-high nine goals. However, Hogan will miss tonight's clash alongside Lachie Whitfield who is injured. West Coast look the same across the field tonight with debutant Malakai Champion set to fly from the bench. The Eagles have been able to avoid big smashings lately but they still have just one win. It's a chilly Friday night in Perth but things are about to heat up at Optus Stadium when West Coast host Greater Western Sydney. The Eagles have named an eighth debutant this season with NGA product Malakai Champion to play as the sub after veteran wingman Jayden Hunt was dropped. Now the big question is will the Eagles be able to ride the Orange Tsumani to success or will they wipe out in another defeat? We'll soon find out with bouncedown at 6.20pm.
Perth Now
6 hours ago
- Perth Now
Fiji have midfield missile aimed at Wallabies' Suaalii
Playing more than 160 VFL games before taking on roles with the Wallabies, All Blacks and now coach of Fiji, Mick Byrne has seen some talented athletes in his time. But the memory of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii sticks in his mind as Byrne plots a way to shut down the Wallabies superstar in Sunday's Test in Newcastle. He recalled meeting Suaalii when he was an assistant to Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, with the schoolboy making an immediate impression on the pair. "I remember when 'Cheik' and I first met him when I was at the Wallabies and a young schoolboy came in, before he signed with rugby league, and we knew then that he was a tremendous athlete," Byrne said of the NRL recruit, who will line up for his fourth Test. "I think he offers a dimension to the game that not many athletes can .... it's a bit like Izzy (Israel Folau) in his day as well, that aerial skill set as well as being really well balanced across the ground. "Like a lot of international players we come up against, we've got to keep our eye on him, but I think as a player he just offers another sort of dimension, being that aerial skill set that we'll have to be aware of as well." Byrne named a strong line-up to try to contain Suaalii and the Wallabies, who are looking to make amends after losing their last clash against Fiji at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Byrne has since replaced Simon Raiwalui as coach, but has been able to include 13 players who were part of that historic match in France, posting their first win over Australia in 69 years. That includes the entire forward pack apart from flanker Elia Canakaivata. Fiji have their own midfield weapon in Josua Tuisova, who was key to their success in Saint Etienne, with Byrne looking to get some punch from the inside centre. Weighing 113kg, Tuisova's nicknames are "Human Bulldozer" and "The Bus". "Josh shifts the ball well and he's got great feet and he's a big, strong player," Byrne said of Tuisova, who plays for Racing 92 in France's Top 14. "We've got the opportunity to use him to get across the gain line early ...so being able to have Josh there is awesome for us because he does give us pretty good go-forward." While the World Cup win has bolstered belief, Byrne said the changes to the Wallabies since then presented a different challenge as his team looked to notch a third win in Australia, with the last in 1954. "The last start was two years ago, so different coaching regime, different players on the field, and I like the way (Australia coach Joe Schmidt) has got the Wallabies playing and now they're playing great footy," Byrne said. "So they're a completely different proposition to previous and we've got to be ready for that as they've got threats across the field. "I think it'd be great to beat Australia in Australia, to get a victory on Australian soil."
