By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With floor general Nick Calathes expected to remain out until the new year, FC Barcelona is close to penning Dante Exum to a three-month contract, according to Chema de Lucas.
Exum, 26, is expected to arrive in Spain next week to begin work at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and ACB powerhouse.
In October, the Australian guard was waived by the Houston Rockets as a late cut to set the roster for the start of the 2021-22 NBA Regular Season. He was selected with the fifth overall pick of the 2014 draft and went on to appear in 262 games split between the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Exum last played for Australia in the 2020 Olympic Games moved to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. He logged 9.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 0.5 steals per game helping the Boomers win bronze in Tokyo.
Calathes, 32, was recently sidelined after suffering a left fibula fracture. The Greek international is expected to remain out for approximately five more weeks prompting the search in the market for a suitable replacement. Besides the former Memphis Grizzlies point guard in 2013-14 and 2014-15, Cory Higgins (low back soreness) and Alex Abrines (knee) are also out for the team coached by Sarunas Jasikevicius.
Barca is currently tied with archrival Real Madrid on top of both the EuroLeague and ACB standings. The two sides are scheduled to meet each other at Palau Blaugrana next Friday in EuroLeague Regular Season Round 14 action.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL