Philadelphia 76ers: A Look Into Dario Saric’s Development This Season

Now that we’ve reached the halfway point in the season, let’s take a look at one of the Philadelphia 76ers’ most impactful contributors: Dario Saric.

For a team with as much young talent as the Philadelphia 76ers have, Dario Saric has proven himself. Dario Saric has made himself known on a team with guys like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Nerlens Noel already there. Even with the rough start, Saric began to excel for this Sixers team.

Interestingly enough, people began to speculate in the past on whether or not Dario would ever play in the NBA. People wondered if it even made sense for Saric to play in Philly. For fans, this left us with a sense of wonder “what if”. Luckily, at the end of the 2015-2016 season, Dario Saric decided that he would come over and play ball for the Sixers, keeping good on a promise he originally made.

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At the start of the season, fans focused on how Joel Embiid’s game would transition to the NBA. After sitting out with his foot injury, fans and media alike wanted to see what he could do. Naturally, this took the spotlight off of the Croatian Sensation Dario Saric.

For a guy picked in the lottery of the 2014 NBA Draft, The Homie did not have the best start to his career. Even though he played a starting role, Saric did not produce great numbers. He started 10 games this season. In those games he averaged 9.7 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game, and 1.7 assists per game. In addition, Saric posted a -11 plus/minus in that timespan.

Now, let’s not forget that Saric played overseas all his life. He probably needed time to transition to the NBA game. When Saric was moved to the bench in favor of Ersan Ilyasova, that made all the difference for him. After the Sixers traded Jerami Grant for Ilyasova in November, Brett Brown relegated Dario to the bench, and thus, Saric saw more success in his newfound role.

The Homie Off The Bench

Initially, it seemed as though a starting role fit Dario Saric best. A guy taken in the top 12 should see some time on the first string. Yet, when you look at Saric’s role for Anadolu Efes, you realize that his role makes sense.

In Europe, Saric never averaged more than 24.4 minutes per game. He primarily came off the bench and provided an added spark for his Euroleague club. In his last season for Efes, Saric averaged 11.7 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per game, and 1.5 assists per game. So, it makes sense why Saric comes in off the bench now, and why he’s doing a decent job at it.

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Now, you might assume that Saric did not take lightly to getting benched, but he handled it with class. If anything, he produces more coming off the bench. As a reserve Saric averages 9.9 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game, and 1.7 assists per game. It comes to no surprise that Saric’s role has evolved.

Now, that might not seem like a lot, but let’s not forget that these numbers come at a more efficient rate. Since coming off the bench, Saric’s usage rate went from 20.4 to 22.7. He has a more important role as the anchor of that second unit.

Visible Improvement

Obviously, it’s to look at Dario Saric’s numbers and say that he’s improved, but let’s look at the actual play of the The Homie. His style of play brings awe to the eyes of the Philadelphia 76ers fanbase.

For instance, Wednesday night against the Sacramento Kings, Dario’s passing ability came to the forefront. His no-look passes he made my jaw drop. The flurry of dishes to Robert Covington and Nerlens Noel simply made the game even more entertaining.

If anything shows off the confidence that Dario has now, the ball movement takes the cake. It goes without saying that the relationship he and his teams built makes this even better. Just watch these guys run a fast break makes you wonder where the ceiling ends.

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Even though he doesn’t start, Dario Saric plays an important role for the Philadelphia 76ers. As that much needed boost off the bench, Saric has proven that he can handle any situation. He does it all with both rotations. In situations where he needs to spread the floor, he dishes the ball like no other. This improvement shows that all Dario really needed was time. Once he got accustomed to the NBA game, he was off to the races.

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So, Dario Saric’s improvement over the course of the season shows the kind of player he is. In a season where Joel Embiid became the face of the franchise, Dario Saric proved that he belongs in the NBA. With the growing relationship between him and his teammates, it can only get better. Hopefully Dario sticks around long enough to make a serious impact for the Philadelphia 76ers.