Which Mavericks Will Step Up With Dante Exum Sidelined?

The Mavericks will have to replace the roughly 20 minutes per game supplied by their backup point guard.

Oct 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie (26) drives to the basket past Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

With the announcement that Dante Exum will be out for at least three months after needing surgery on his wrist, the Dallas Mavericks will have to replace the minutes he had been giving them as a backup point guard on the roster who typically comes in to replace either Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving as the lead initiator.

Last season, Exum played 19.8 minutes over 55 games for Dallas, providing a key role as a reserve guard who could handle the ball and create offense for others. He played all of his 1,088 minutes as the point guard, which differed from years past with other franchises like Cleveland and Utah, where he played some shooting guard and even small forward.

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Luckily for Dallas, they have some players that can pick up the slack. Guards Spencer Dinwiddie, Jaden Hardy, and to a lesser extent, Quentin Grimes, all have some experience running an offensive unit, though the latter two are more adept at playing off the ball. In Brooklyn, 98% of Dinwiddie's time on the floor was spent at the point guard spot per Basketball Reference, while Hardy spent just 13% of his time there, and Grimes even less with New York and Detroit.

Dinwiddie will be the primary replacement due to his experience with the position, though he brings a much different style to the table – he's more apt at scoring from the lead guard spot than Exum is, as Exum is much more of a creator for others than for himself. The same can be said for Hardy and Grimes, as again both are more suited to off-ball roles. Still, their ability to handle the basketball will lend itself to playing this position for Dallas until Exum can return.

Between Brooklyn and New York, Dinwiddie played in the 24-to-30-minute range per game, and though his time on the floor will likely lean closer to the lower end of that spectrum, it is conceivable that he plays more as well considering the Mavericks' lack of perimeter ball handlers on the bench. Hardy played 13.5 minutes per game last season for Dallas, and while that could remain static, it could also increase due to the injury.

As for Quentin Grimes, who played in the 20-minute range for New York and Detroit last year, most of his experience as a lead guard came before the NBA, and so while he will be relied upon to handle the ball, he won't be as crucial to facilitating the offense.

While the loss of Exum is definitely a blow to the Mavericks, they have enough reserve players to make it through the three months without him. These players will have to step up in his absence, but with the infrastructure of the team the way it is, it's likely that they get the production they need.

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