Dante Exum agrees to $US33m Jazz deal

Dante Exum's contract eclipses the $US4.4 million deal Jazz team-mate Raul Neto has signed.

Dante Exum

Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum has signed a new $US33 million deal. (AAP)

Australian guard Dante Exum has agreed to a three-year, $US33 million ($A45 million)-contract extension with the Utah Jazz.

Exum battled through multiple injuries since the Jazz drafted him with the fifth overall pick in 2014, but the big contract shows the confidence team management have in the 22-year-old.

The NBA's free agency period opened on Sunday and some elite players have had to settle for relatively cheap contracts in what has become a barren marketplace for non-superstar talent.

Fellow Australian Aron Baynes signed a two-year, $US11-million ($A15 million) deal to remain at the Boston Celtics despite breakout performances during the playoffs.

Exum's contract also eclipsed the two-year, $US4.4 million ($A6 million) deal his Jazz teammate, Brazilian guard Raul Neto, agreed to on Tuesday.

The Jazz re-signed unrestricted free agent Derrick Favors on a two-year, $US36 million ($A48.5 million) deal on Monday although the second year is not guaranteed.

NBA players have been willing to sign one-year deals for the coming year, with the hope a bump in the salary cap next season will allow teams to pay bigger long-term contracts next year.

Exum and fellow Australian Joe Ingles have become key players in the Jazz's emergence as a playoff team in the NBA's loaded Western Conference.

Exum earned about $US4 million ($A5.5 million) a year in each of his early seasons in the NBA.

Australia's NBA players have been cashing in in recent years.

Ingles is on a four-year, $US52 million ($A70.5 million) deal with the Jazz, Patty Mills has a four-year, $US50 million ($A67.5 million) contract with the San Antonio Spurs and Matthew Dellavedova signed a four-year, $US38.4 million ($A52 million) deal with the Milwaukee Bucks.


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Source: AAP



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