Dario Saric To Sign 3-Year Deal With Turkish Club

The still-rumor being reported by Chad Ford, ESPN, is that it is a 3-year deal with the 3rd year being a player option.

It is being reported, also, that Danny is still interested at #17, as a draft-and-stash.

A long-standing rumor was that Saric said he would come to the NBA right away if he was drafted by the Celtics or Lakers.  Since that is not likely (he never rose above #9 in any mock draft I've seen, currently #11 with draftexpress), he's signing with a Euro team (ASSUMING this rumor was true).

People are talking about this kid like he's another Toni Kukoc.  6'10", 223#, 20 years old.  In 2 years he'll still only be 22 and have a lot of pro experience behind him.  He was the MVP of the Adriatic League Playoffs.  16.7ppg, 9.7rpg, 55% from 2, 35% from 3.  His boxscore in the championship game was 23 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 blocks. Extremely versatile, Cibona ran their offense through him.  He's a 6'10" point forward, like Bird was (no, I'm not saying he's another Larry Legend, I'm saying he is far from a one-trick pony).


A similar-caliber prospect, Nikola Mirotic, went No. 23 in 2011 and now qualifies as one of Chicago's better trade assets despite not having made his way to the United States yet.

Check out his video.  This kid really runs well in transition and has great courtvision.  They say one of his strengths is his defensive effort but also say one of his weakness is defensive potential.  Ok, so he works hard on defense but is never going to be a defensive stalwart.  That what you have Asik/Embiid/whomever for, they are the defensive anchors, he just has to rotate and close out well and grab the boards when they pick up someone else's man.






So, if we draft-and-stash Saric for 3 years, that makes Kelly or Sully expendable (we'll still have one of them and Bass, minimum, at 4 and could probably sign Hump to a 3-year deal if Danny felt like he needed more depth ASSUMING that the trade Jelly Sullynyk is gone in is for Love.  Then we have depth) for a trade.  Bass' contract expires next year, so if we sign Saric and he comes in 2016-2017, we'll be without Bass for one year, still have Kelly or Sully and 1 more year of Hump or Kevin Love.  If Saric really can play 3, Asik/Love/Saric would be a smoking front court (7'0", 6'10", 6'10"), that would be the biggest Big 3 we've ever had.



bob


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I voted "Yes" to draft and stash, but if he signs with an European club and opts out of the draft, can we even draft him?

If he only wants to play for the Celtics or Lakers, he can just wait until he is old enough to bypass the draft and then come over as a free agent. Perhaps that is his plan.

gyso

gyso wrote:I voted "Yes" to draft and stash, but if he signs with an European club and opts out of the draft, can we even draft him?

If he only wants to play for the Celtics or Lakers, he can just wait until he is old enough to bypass the draft and then come over as a free agent.  Perhaps that is his plan.

gyso

gyso,

Good question.  Vitor was in the draft but went undrafted, so I think that eliminates him as a comparable situation.  The draft is like the measles, once you get it you can't get it again.  Once Vitor entered the draft he became future-draft ineligible, regardless of his being undrafted in the one he was in.

At 20 years old, I don't think the underclassman restrictions (having to declare, ineligible to be drafted if he doesn't, etc) would apply if he was an American either.  That means that he can be drafted, even if he doesn't declare, and no NBA team can touch him unless the drafting team says so because they own his NBA rights.  That's the difference between him and Porzingis.  Porzingis is only 18 years old and, even though they go straight to pro from high school there, he's too young to just sign in the NBA as a free agent, he must declare like an underclassman.

I'm not 100% on this, but it makes sense to me.  I can't think of another case I can point to substantiate it.


bob



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I voted "Other" because it depends on how their big man situation is shaping up.  If they somehow get Love, I'd be more inclined to draft a shooting wing at #17.  If they've gotten no more height when #17 comes along, what the heck?  Give him a try.

Sam

think of the defense with Love and saric as your starting forwards.

you better bring Russell back if thats the case.