June 29, 2016
After two years of waiting, we might get to see the Sixers’ 2014 first-round draft haul debut at the same time.
Members of the Sixers brass sounded publicly confident about the possibility of Dario Saric playing in Philly next season, and it looks like they had good reason. The 22-year-old forward told Croatian newspaper Slobodna Dalmacija that he will join the Sixers after his Olympic duties are finished this summer:
Dario Saric:
— CroSports (@CroSports_) June 29, 2016
- I have 1 more year w/ Efes & Perasovic wants me to stay, but I gave them (Sixers) my word. My word means more than a paper.
TRANSLATED (in ENGLISH)
— CroSports (@CroSports_) June 29, 2016
Dario Saric's quotes from today, on going to the NBA / #Sixers THIS season: pic.twitter.com/P3UDmVuOfR
Next week, Saric and his Croatian teammates will play in a six-team qualification tournament in Turin, Italy. The winner earns the right to play in the Summer Olympics in Brazil.
After visiting Saric in Istanbul a few weeks before the draft with Brett Brown, president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo felt he had a couple of productive days.
“I'd like to think our objectives are aligned and what we'd like to do is get him in to play for us next year,” Colangelo said. “How things work out with him and the actual buyout negotiations with the team that have to be undertaken with the player and the team are entirely different than what our objectives are.”
The deadline for Saric to let Anadolu Efes know about his NBA intentions (specifically whether he’ll exercise the buyout of the final year of his three-year contract) is July 17th.
Over the past year, Saric has been nothing but clear that he plans to play in Philly this season. Some skepticism still remains, though, because Saric would be bound to the rookie scale if he does follow through. Needless to say, signing Saric to a rookie deal would be lit potentially huge financially for the Sixers.
Colangelo was impressed by what he saw in Turkey. Even though Saric’s Efes team lost in the Turkish finals, the playmaking forward shot 48 percent from the field and over 40 percent from three in all competitions.
“He’s gotten physically bigger, physically stronger,” Colangelo said. “He runs the floor very well, he does a lot of things. He’s highly skilled with the ball. He’s creating shots for himself with step-back dribbles, crossover dribbles, etc. And he’s shooting the ball much, much better than I remember.”
UPDATE, European basketball insider David Pick tweeted this out and Marc Stein followed:
Dario Saric --> SIXERS. https://t.co/1oG27MP4a7
— David Pick (@IAmDPick) June 29, 2016
Dario Saric told reporters in Europe he's headed to the Sixers; one source says his reps and Philly are working to make it happen this month
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 29, 2016
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
