July 09, 2016

Dario Saric says he's joining Sixers after leading Croatian team to Olympic berth

By Matt Mullin
PhillyVoice Staff

While much of the attention was on the Sixers Summer League game in Las Vegas, one that featured the top two picks in last month's NBA Draft -- Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram -- there was some news coming out of Turin, Italy.

After leading his Croatian team to an 84-78 overtime win over Italy in the finals of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Dario Saric again declared that he will be playing in Philadelphia this season.

Dario Saric: "I'm going back home and then to the USA for the @Sixers"
— Eurohoops.net (@Eurohoopsnet) July 9, 2016

And with just a week before the deadline to inform his Euroleague squad, he also added that he would be joining the Sixers in Las Vegas this week. Before being able to add him to the roster, however, Jerry Colangelo and the Sixers front office will need to workout a buyout of his current contract in Turkey.

Saric said he's going back to Zagreb to talk w/ his manager & his parents, then head over to the USA to see his teammates in summer league.
— CroSports (@CroSports_) July 9, 2016

Saric, the 6-foot-10, 220-pound forward the team took with the 12th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, scored 18 points and grabbed 12 boards in the win over Italy and was named the tournament's MVP.

When you add in the expected addition of Joel Embiid to the Sixers rotation this season, they'll be adding three new lottery picks to the roster (the other being Simmons).

What his presence means for the Sixers already crowded frontcourt situation remains to be seen. But given that his offensive game is much better than his defense, it would seem on the surface that it will have a greater affect on Jahlil Okafor, rather than the defensively-minded Nerlens Noel.

Here's a look at what Saric, 22, has done over the last two seasons with his Turkish team, Anadolu Efes.