4 Mavericks who immediately became trade bait after Dinwiddie signing

3. Dante Exum

For backup guard Dante Exum, he is another player who could have pressure of being trade bait with the Mavs signing Spencer Dinwiddie. At 29 years old, there is more added pressure to perform at a high level and prove he belongs in the NBA.

Despite missing 27 games last season, Exum was a good X-factor coming off the bench. Exum averaged 7.8 points per game to go with outstanding shooting percentages. Exum shot 53 percent from the field and 49 percent from three.

But, Exum struggled in the 2024 NBA Playoffs as his shooting percentages dropped big. Exum shot 36 percent from the field and 35 percent from three. With a struggling Playoffs, it may have caused him to slide down the depth chart.

Exum enters this season facing a make-or-break season as he's on an expiring contract at $3.15 million which isn't that highly priced. His expiring contract can make him more trade-worthy for a better player.

Dinwiddie will enter this season on a one-year deal as well, but Dinwiddie has been more of a reliable player in the Playoffs than Exum. Also, with Exum being another guard, Dinwiddie might get more minutes than Exum. Less minutes for Exum could make him expendable by the trade deadline with how deep the Mavs guard depth is.

If Exum doesn't get traded out of Dallas, he will have to make his minutes count coming off the bench with Dinwiddie back. Exum has shown he can shoot with confidence with the Mavs before and will have to do it again this season.