The Washington Wizards announced Saturday that they’ve placed veteran guard Dante Exum on waivers via Twitter.
Exum was one of four players Washington received from Dallas in the Anthony Davis blockbuster completed ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline.
The move came as no surprise, as the player underwent season-ending surgery on his right knee in December and didn’t appear in a game during the 2025/26 season.
Complications from an offseason procedure on that knee ultimately required follow-up surgery, ending his year before it began.
Injuries have been a recurring theme throughout Exum’s career.
After playing all 82 games as a rookie, the former fifth overall pick missed the entire 2015/16 season with a torn ACL and later dealt with repeated shoulder, ankle, and knee issues.
Exum rebuilt his NBA value with strong play in Europe from 2021 to 2023 before returning to the league with Dallas.
When healthy, the 30-year-old Australian was an effective rotation player for the Mavericks, averaging 8.0 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game on excellent shooting splits.
Still, injuries limited him to just 75 total appearances since the start of the 2023/24 season, including only 20 games in 2024/25 due to wrist surgery and a broken hand.
Washington will continue to carry Exum’s $2,296,274 cap hit after he clears waivers, but the move opens a roster spot.
The Wizards now have 13 players on standard contracts, with Keshon Gilbert filling the 14th spot on a 10-day deal.
Wizards Waive Dante Exum https://t.co/SN5MxkO3Mm pic.twitter.com/R63GPefuaJ
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) February 8, 2026
