The Sixer Sense
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Dario Saric keeps on keeping on

By Christopher Kline

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 02: Justise Winslow #20 of the Miami Heat guards Dario Saric #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on February 2, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Miami Heat 103-97. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 02: Justise Winslow #20 of the Miami Heat guards Dario Saric #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on February 2, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Miami Heat 103-97. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /
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Dario Saric has quietly been one of the Philadelphia 76ers‘ most consistent producers.

There were plenty of questions surrounding Dario Saric’s game entering the season, and he didn’t exactly do much to mitigate those concerns early on. His shots weren’t falling and he looked out of place next to Ben Simmons, which left plenty of concerns over his future with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Things have changed, though, with Saric adjusting to his new role marvelously in recent months. There’s still some untapped value when it comes to his playmaking, but his role in the current offensive setup revolves around spot-up shooting — something he’s doing with extreme effectiveness.

Shooting was one of the primary concerns for Saric coming into the campaign. He shot just 31.1 percent from deep in his rookie season while boasting a noticeably flat arc. That was the case at the beginning of the season as well, as he shot 33.3 percent from deep in October.

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Saric has since gotten his legs under his shot while upping his aggressiveness as a scorer. He’s becoming far more comfortable as an off-ball option, finding open space on the perimeter and making nifty cuts to the rim on a regular basis.

With Simmons orchestrating the offense and Joel Embiid‘s improved passing out of the post, that leaves plenty of room for Saric to find success as the Sixers’ tertiary offensive weapon on some nights. Since Dec. 1, the former Rookie of the Year runner-up is shooting 39.4 percent from deep and averaging 16.6 points per game.

Saric has also racked up 31 consecutive games with double-digit scoring, an impressive number for somebody whose production ebbed and flowed as often as it did earlier in his career. We’re still in the beginning stages of Dario’s development, but he’s starting to look like a more-than-solid piece of the Sixers’ long-term core.

His shooting will inevitably regress, but the mechanics and the arc look better. That’s an improvement, not a fluke. His improved instincts off the ball should stick as well, which will keep him productive even if his 3-pointer isn’t falling every night.

That playmaking of his — which is what got him drafted in the lottery to begin with — won’t go away either. If Markelle Fultz returns to form or the Sixers add another piece, Saric could easily take over as the go-to option in the second unit, where his passing would be on display more often.

Next: The fate of Markelle Fultz is in Billy Lange's hands

Even his defense is improving, which is a testament to how hard Saric has been working behind the scenes. He’s no longer a lingering question mark, and fans should expect him to stick around for a while.