Dante Exum leaving Washington Wizards? Veteran guard waived shortly after Anthony Davis blockbuster trade

On Sunday, the Washington Wizards declared that they had asked for waivers for Dante Exum. Before Thursday's trade deadline, Washington made a blockbuster trade including Anthony Davis, and Exum was one of four players acquired from Dallas.

Given that the athlete missed all of the 2025–2026 season due to season-ending surgery on his right knee in December, the move was not surprising. The Washington Wizards acquired the Dallas Mavericks wing and Australian Boomers bronze medalist in 2025, along with All-NBA First Team player Anthony Davis.

Washington Wizards waive injured Dante Exum after Anthony Davis blockbuster trade creates roster flexibility

On X, the Washington Wizards declared on Saturday that they had placed veteran player Dante Exum on waivers. The official tweet read:

“The Washington Wizards have requested waivers on guard Dante Exum…”

Exum is out for the season and is set to become a free agent this summer, so the Wizards' decision to cut him shortly after acquiring him as part of the eight-player deal last week that sent Anthony Davis to Washington comes as little surprise.

Washington might sign a free agent for a 10-day or remaining-of-season contract, or it might use the available roster space to upgrade one of its three two-way players to a regular contract.

Apparently, the action was not surprising. His season ended before it started due to complications from an offseason procedure on that knee that eventually necessitated follow-up surgery. Over Exum's career, injuries have been a recurrent theme.




The former fifth overall pick missed the whole 2015–16 season due to a torn ACL after playing all 82 games as a rookie. He later struggled with recurrent knee, ankle, and shoulder problems.

After playing well in Europe from 2021 to 2023, Exum restored his NBA value before rejoining Dallas. Dallas sold him to them in the Anthony Davis trade. The veteran guard's $3.3 million contract was about to expire.

Washington now has two roster spots available that can be filled with regular NBA salaries after dismissing Exum. Keshon Gilbert's 10-day contract is presently filling one of the positions.

The 30-year-old Australian averaged 8.0 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game on strong shooting splits when healthy, making him a valuable rotation player for the Mavericks.

Nevertheless, he has only made 75 appearances overall since the 2023–24 season began, including just 20 in 2024–25 because of wrist surgery and a fractured hand.

Dante Exum’s injury-hit journey continues as Washington Wizards create roster space after waiver move

Elite athletic tools, several injury setbacks, and a successful late-career comeback have all been features of Exum's career, which has spanned the NBA, Europe, and international basketball. Exum was a high-upside guard who joined the Utah Jazz as the fifth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

However, he suffered a ruptured ACL and other serious injuries that plagued his early NBA career. After playing for Cleveland and Utah, he left the NBA in 2021 to rebuild his career in Europe with FC Barcelona and Partizan Belgrade, where he was named to the All-ABA League Team in 2023 and won an ABA League title.

Now, with one of those roster places, Washington could now sign one of its two-way players, Tristan Vukcevic, Jamir Watkins, or Sharife Cooper, to a regular NBA contract. After Exum clears waivers, Washington will still be responsible for his $2,296,274 salary cost; but, the move frees up a roster space.

With Keshon Gilbert signing a 10-day contract to take the 14th position, the Wizards now have 13 players on regular contracts.



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