Aussie NBA star dumped in $20m blow

Dante Exum’s future is up in the air after the Australian was dumped by the Houston Rockets, showing the brutal reality of NBA contracts.

Dante Exum’s NBA future is up in the air again after the Australian Boomer was waived by the Houston Rockets on Sunday morning.

Exum had signed a three-year, $15 million ($A20m) contract with the Rockets before training camp but the deal was non-guaranteed and had incentive bonuses.

The Aussie played in three Houston pre-season games but did not suit up for Saturday’s clash with San Antonio.

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Exum’s free agency road to Houston first started at the Tokyo Olympics.

He could have just easily used the off-season to develop his skills in the hopes of earning another contract but instead put his focus on a historic medal for the Boomers.

It ended up acting as a springboard to another shot in the NBA, with Exum signed by Houston after playing a crucial role in Australia’s bronze-medal run.

After all his injuries, Exum was starting to look himself again and Rockets coach Stephen Silas saw it too.

“I was saying that, as well,” he said in October, per the Houston Chronicle.

“He looks quick. In the Olympics, he was attacking close-outs, getting to the rim, dunking, all kinds of things. Yeah, I was surprised because I didn’t get a chance to see him last season, so I didn’t really know what we had. I’m getting a feel right now.”

It looked like the 26-year-old would fit well with Houston’s rebuilding roster, providing much-needed experience alongside the young core of Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Christian Wood and Jae’Sean Tate.

“It was definitely a gruelling process,” Exum said of his road back to the Rockets.

“I think when I went to the Olympics, I was just focused on that, focused on getting a medal. After that, it was just trying to find the right place, the right fit. I just want to play and I felt Houston gave me the opportunity to do that.

“We always stayed in contact with them. When the opportunity arose, we started talking, we said this is the place I want to be. I like the direction they are heading in.”

Unfortunately for Exum now they are going in the opposite direction again and he will again be on the lookout for a new opportunity.

Injuries have hampered Exum’s development after he was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft.

The 26-year-old began his career at Utah before being traded to the Cleveland after six seasons with the Jazz.

Exum was then moved to Houston as part of the James Harden deal last season but saw no game time there due to an ongoing calf injury.

Originally published as Dante Exum waived by Rockets in big blow to ‘gruelling’ NBA comeback bid

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