“He’s fast,” Snyder said. “I think more than anything he really looks like he knows how to play.”
The new Jazz bench boss liked what he saw in his 6-foot-6 playmaker in pick-and-roll situations, in his ability to distribute the ball upcourt in transition, in the way he was “a willing passer” and, yes, in how he played alongside fellow point guard Trey Burke.
“Clearly, they’ve done a really good job teaching him in Australia. He knows how to play,” Snyder said of the Melbourne native. “There’s an aptitude that sometimes guys (have) — the game comes easy to them — and he’s one of those guys.”
Burke also likes what he’s seen so far in his new teammate, who figures to play with him in the backcourt at times and replace him at the point in stretches. Snyder pointed out a couple of examples of how they successfully worked in unison, passing back and forth in transition.
“I didn’t know him before he got drafted, but he‘s a really good player,” the returning All-Rookie Burke said of Exum. “He has a lot of potential. He’s still young, but his work ethic is going to allow him to continue to grow in this league. I definitely think we can play together.”