Wildcats playing it cool over Exum
Perth Wildcats managing director Nick Marvin doesn’t rate his club much of a chance to secure the services of NBA Draft prospect Dante Exum for the upcoming NBL season.
Combo guard Exum, 18, has been forecast as a first-round draft pick and would be the perfect support act for the Wildcats’ fringe Boomers guard Damian Martin before the being picked up by an NBA team next year.
The Wildcats have made their intentions clear to AIS product Exum, but Marvin does not expect the Victorian to make a decision on his future for about a month.
“We have been doing all that any smart club in the league would do to try and entice arguably the best point-guard to come out of Australia since Patty Mills,” Marvin said.
“If he plays in the NBL, we’re a 12.5 per cent chance like any other team, (but) we think our chances are a bit better than that.
“It’s really up to him. We’ve made it perfectly clear that we would love to have him, but Perth’s a long way from Melbourne, so that’s probably something that will work against us.
“I don’t think he’ll make a decision for another four weeks.”
Marvin said money was not a sticking point with Exum, who could be signed as a development player or added to the full senior roster as a one-point player under the NBL player points system.
“If he wants to keep his (US) college options open, he’ll be a development player, so there’s no issues with money,” Marvin said.
“If he wants to be a signed, contracted player, we only have a certain amount in our (salary) cap that we can afford to give him. So he’ll have to make a call on that.
“Most teams would be in the same position. They’ve already recruited and filled out their cap.”
The Wildcats are trying Australian point-guards Tom Daly and Joel Wagner, and have identified several other potential recruits from State leagues around the country.
American-born guard Drake U’u has been cleared to play as a local player under NBL rules after proving his dual citizenship.
U’u graduated from California Polytechnic State University this year and has been working out with the Wildcats for the past week but the club is yet to make a decision on him.
