Dario Saric, the Croatian forward taken No. 12 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft, will not be crossing the Atlantic to suit up for the Philadelphia 76ers this season, Saric's agent told ESPN.com's Chad Ford.
Dario Saric will stay in Turkey next year over joining 76ers
The 6’10 Croatian taken No. 12 overall in last year’s draft will remain overseas this season.
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Saric, a 6’10 21-year-old, is currently on Year 2 of the three-year contract he signed with Turkey’s Anadolu Efes three days before last year’s draft. The Sixers “have attempted to negotiate a buyout over the past month, but Saric’s buyout is too expensive to make the move practical,” according to Ford’s sources.
Saric could opt out of his contract next season. But, as pointed out by Ford, staying in Turkey for that additional third season would allow him to renegotiate his deal with the Sixers. With three years having passed since being drafted, Saric would no longer be bound to the league's rookie wage scale. He'd also be entering the league at a time when the salary cap and player salaries, are expected to rise thanks to the NBA's massive new TV contract. That could lead to a massive new contract for Saric.
Saric electing to remain in Europe is the second major blow to the Sixers' rebuilding plan this offseason. Last week, it was reported that center Joel Embiid, who Philadelphia selected No. 3 overall in last year's Draft, had suffered a setback in his recovery from a foot injury that cost him the entire 2014-'15 season.
Saric averaged 9.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 24.4 minutes per game last season for Efes. He shot 49 percent from the field and hit 30 percent of his three-pointers.
Saric was originally drafted by the Orlando Magic last season, but they immediately traded him to the Sixers for Elfrid Payton, who was taken two picks earlier.
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