The Philadelphia 76ers expect to be embarking on their post-Trust the Process epilogue this upcoming season. They’ll be doing so with the No. 1 overall pick, 2014 lottery investment Joel Embiid expected to make his belated debut, French rookie Timothe Luwawe, along with Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel filling out the rest of the frontcourt. 2014 first rounder Dario Saric, is very much an enima to NBA fans. Saric is described as a versatile 6-10 point forward who can hopefully carve out a niche as a triple double threat for the 76ers. But descriptions and stats are all Sixers fans have had to go on as most of them have never seen him play in the Turkish Basketball Super League. An even bigger mystery surrounds when exactly he’ll make his NBA debut.
Unfortunately, it appears Saric may be absent for the next phase of their post-Hinkie ascent.
Just a week after Saric, announced he was joining the 76ers next season financial motives have cast doubt on his arrival.
“He makes 1.5 million Euros [$1.66 million U.S.] playing in Turkey,” said the source Thursday night. “It’s a comfortable living. Why come over and risk that and go back to the rookie-scale contract when you’ve completed two-thirds of not having to be on the rookie scale? This is before the draft.”
If the 22-year-old Saric joins the Sixers this year, he’d be due $9 million over the next four seasons based on being the No. 12 overall pick (in the 2014 draft). If he plays a third season in Turkey, he wouldn’t be subject to the rookie scale and would probably make more than twice that amount.
In the two years since being drafted, Saric has flashed the skills smorgasbord that compelled Sam Hinkie to acquire the two-time FIBA Young Men’s Player of the Year Award winner’s rights–in the Turkish Super League. This season, he posted per-36 minute averages of 18.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, shooting over 90 percent from th free throw ine and 40 percent behind the arc. Through the first two games of Olympic qualifying, Saric is averaging a steady 13 points and nearly 10 boards. The last time Saric saw significant court action prior to Olympic qualifying was during a best of five series against Real Madrid in the Euroleague Playoffs. Saric averaged 10 points, 10.3 rebounds made 4 of 13 attempts from three-point range and shot 70.6 percent at the foul line.
During an ESPN’s NBA Insiders podcast appearance on June 27, Jerry Colangelo warned that Saric’s best opportunity to be a part of the 76ers would be to join immediately.
Via Liberty Ballers:
Everyone talks immediately about the financial gain… The way we’re looking at it is this is a great opportunity for Dario to come over right now. The timing is right for him to join this group of young guys that are coming together, we want him to be part of something that we’re starting today, and the timing could not be better for him to get his clock ticking as far as his NBA contract goes. He’ll be in a position to get that next one at a younger age.
Him being 22 and having played pro basketball for a few years, and him reaching a point of, I don’t know if you want to call it fatigue, he’s at a point where I think in order for him to take his next step basketball-wise it’s in the NBA.
I could make an argument that he really should come over, it’s good timing for us and good timing for him. If he wants to roll the dice on the financial aspect of it, our situation might be a little different next year and we might not have as much need for him.
Of course, Colangelo ha his own ulterior motive for Saric to eschew his personal good and essentially play for the Sixers at a discount in 2016.
However, it is amusing to hear Colangelo dangling the chance Saric will be traded from a team most rookies and their agents actively avoid as if it some sort of major negative. Given the glutton of forwards bogged down on Philly’s young roster, and the addition of Simmons’ similar, yet superior skillset, Saric may welcome that outcome. Serving as Simmons’ backup may change his outlook.
Besides, the 76ers are already brimming with tantalizing upside. At some point the Colangelos have to stock Philadelphia with players who can stretch the defense and turn some of that latent potential into tangible production. Integrating yet another rook, no matter how much international experience he has, won’t help their cause.
