Nico Harrison is already eyeing his first reckless mistake of Mavericks offseason

Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison has been under a microscope ever since he decided to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis in February, and this heavy scrutiny from the outside world is only poised to increase over the next few months after Dallas drafts Cooper Flagg.

After the Mavs draft Flagg, Harrison will be under high pressure to make the right moves in free agency and the trade market to build around him, and their backcourt looks like it will be their biggest priority. They are searching for a Kyrie Irving replacement until he returns from injury, and they specifically want a good ball handler and playmaker to lead the offense. One guard Dallas has already been linked to in free agency is Dante Exum, as he and the Mavs have mutual interest in a reunion after he just completed a two-year deal with Dallas, but this may be a move that Harrison should avoid.

While Exum has provided great depth off the bench over his two seasons in Dallas and even had a great stint as a starter, his injury history is too severe to overlook heading into a crucial season. The Mavs were cursed with injuries last season, and bringing back Exum would be risking their backcourt being banged up once again.

Nico Harrison re-signing Dante Exum is too big of a risk for Mavs to make

The Mavs are already going to be without Irving to begin the season due to his ACL tear that he suffered back in March, and while Exum has proven to be a reliable spot starter in the past and a good piece off the bench, he won't bring enough to fill this need entirely. Harrison has to dream bigger than Exum to fill their biggest offseason need, and while he would be a solid option if they sign him to a veteran minimum contract, they can't depend on him to be their sole Irving replacement.

Last season for Dallas, Exum averaged 8.7 points and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 43.4 percent from downtown, and even though he prefers to stay in the NBA if possible, he has also received some interest to play overseas. His excellent 3-point shooting has made him a staple back in the NBA after struggling as a shooter in his first stint in the league, and now Harrison has a decision to make.

Will he roll the dice and sign Exum to a new deal and risk him missing significant time due to injuries, or will they head separate ways and let him walk? Either way, it'll be a tough decision, as Exum has proven his value time and time again, and it'll likely come down to whether Harrison thinks he can stay healthy for an entire season.

It must be remembered that Exum only played in 20 games last season and 55 games the season before, and re-signing him when knowing all of this could be a reckless move by Harrison, even if some of the injuries he suffered along the way were freak accidents. Exum's injuries narrowly edge out the impact he makes on both ends, and Harrison must think twice before giving the Australian guard a new contract.