Dario Saric: instant scouting report and DNHQ fan reactions

The sweet shooting big cult hero free agent has finally signed for the minimum

The news

Woj reports:

Free agent forward Dario Saric has agreed to a one-year contract with the Golden State Warriors, …

Saric, who played with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns a year ago, had been one of the most sought-after players left on the market. At 6-foot-10, Saric gives the Warriors size and shooting off their bench.

Saric has fully recovered from an ACL injury that cost him the entire 2020-2021 season.

Anthony Slater adds:

Dario Šarić and Chris Paul connected a ton during their Phoenix days together. Larger breakdown in just posted article. But here are a few clips. Pick-and-pop, patient pick-and-roll, transition synergy. I'm told Paul was a vocal fan of the Šarić pickup.

What does Saric bring?

• Dario Šarić, Pronunciation: DAH-ree-oh SHAH-ritch. You can hear him pronounce his name.

• He’s 6-10, so he’ll be the tallest Warrior on this year’s roster.

• He’s a sweet shooter, shooting 37.4% from 3 after his rookie season. This would allow GSW to put lineups with 5 players who can hit threes spaced on the perimeter, or more likely, put Saric next to one non-shooter big like Draymond Green, Kevon Looney or Jonathan Kuminga.

• His assist % is above average for a big, so he is a decent passer and might bloom in Kerr ball, which is the NBA offense that emphasizes big man passing the most.

• He will not block a shot, but he does get a few steals and is a decent defensive rebounder.

  • WarriorsMuse counters:
    Dario Saric is an underrated interior defender.

    Rim Deterrence: -5.86%

    People drive to the rim 5.86% less when he’s on the floor.

    94th percentile | A grade

    % Rim Shots Contested: 40.46%

    He contests 40.46% of rim FGA when on the floor.

    92nd percentile | A grade

    Rim DFG% vs Expected: +0.60%

    Players make 0.6% more of their rim FGA when he’s on the floor (the more negative the better actually, so this is a negative stat, but this is slightly above average relative to the league).

    55th percentile | C+ grade

    Far from perfect, but Finals-Bjelica-level respectable.

• Saric played with Chris Paul in PHX and they had a respectable pick-and-pop game together.

• Psychologically, GSW fans had been led to believe Saric was signing on Day 1 so the disappointment would have been outsized, especially for fans feeling like all the other teams were doing so much more.

• (don’t read this if you don’t want a reality check).

  • Realistically, he’s a player that should be just fully recovered from an ACL injury, but you never know.

  • He’s a player that every team in the league refused to offer more than a minimum salary, despite every team wanting stretch bigs.

  • I think a median outcome would be Saric playing like JaMychal Green. Yes, the favorite scapegoat for Dub Nation to complain about who did shoot 38% from three anyway, which is Saric’s career average.

  • So a realistic stretch goal would be for Saric to play like people’s good memories of Nemanja Bjelica, who took Green’s shooting and added good passing and more height and bulk. Add in synergy with Chris Paul for bonus outcome.

  • The bad outcome would be for Saric to be Omri Casspi, i.e. too gunshy to shoot open shots.

• Here is a more personal look from “the internet’s favorite Dario Saric Stan”. Sorry, it’s only on Twitter.

• UPDATE 6:34pm: Goofus found this:

Found this REALLY interesting video from 2 years ago by a Suns podcaster guy talking about Saric’s transformation from PF to passing-genius center. Lots of footage and you can’t help but think what a great fit he’ll be in GSW’s offense. Also spends some time talking about his defense, which isn’t too bad. All in all a great scouting report:

Who’s the next free agent signing?

Yes, position names have less meaning in the modern NBA, but this is just for organization.

There are 13 signed players, leaving 1 open spot plus a 15th spot usually left unsigned for flexibility.

• PG. Steph / CP3 / Cory Joseph

• SG. Klay / Moody / Brandin Podziemski

• SF. Wiggins / GP2

• PF. Draymond / Kuminga

• C. Looney / Dario Saric / Trayce Jackson-Davis

At this point, whoever is signed for the 14th spot is going to be someone who does not feel, ahem, entitled to a lot of playing time, because GSW sure can’t promise any with the current roster. So it has to be someone who feels grateful to get a minimum contract at all because they are marginal in the league because of perception, performance or injury.

My personal pick would be Juan Toscano-Anderson. You can argue that’s because I’m a huge fanboy. But I think it makes sense. He can play the big wing position and he has the court smarts to play well in the system.

Dub Nation Speaks: instant reaction comments

• SD (23 ♡):

  They got Saric!!!

  [wojespn] Free agent F Dario Saric has agreed on a one-year deal with the Golden State Warriors, sources tell ESPN. Saric was one of the most sought-after players left on the market.

  https://www.threads.net/t/Cub1jIFOEJr

• DubsNerd (22 ♡):

  Not to be the Slater hype man here, but he has a good article up on Dario:

  https://theathletic.com/4675900/2023/07/08/dario-saric-warriors-chris-paul?source=user-shared-article

  that has me pumped up. Some quotes:

  There were several phone calls pitching Šarić on the partnership, from the front office to Kerr to their established veterans to assistant coach Dejan Milojević, who knows Šarić and will surely work closely with him.

  The options left beyond Šarić were bleak. This was a massive get.

  But Šarić — unlike JaMychal Green — can slip past a closeout, put it on the floor and keep the chain moving with some quick-decision playmaking on the move. He’s averaged two assists per game in his career as a role player. That’s an element that Porter and Nemanja Bjelica gave the bench two seasons ago but the second unit often lacked last season

  He’s comfortable with Paul and should form the backbone of the Warriors’ new older and more methodical second unit.

  Šarić scored off 41 Paul assists the season the Suns won the West. When Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton left the floor, it was often Šarić running a two-man game with Paul up top.

  Šarić can fit into just about any lineup combination, but his second unit pairing with Kuminga is one that should intrigue. The numbers always suggested Kuminga worked well next to Lamb a season ago because of Lamb’s ability to spread the floor and pass. That’ll be Šarić’s presumed role. You can already envision the Warriors opening the second and fourth quarter with a Paul/Thompson/Moses Moody/Kuminga/Šarić lineup and maybe even running some Kuminga-Paul pick-and-rolls with Thompson, Moody and Šarić spaced.

  Also some clips of Dario and CP3 from their PHX days.

  Can we start the regular season already?

• Goofus (21 ♡):

  In terms of usefulness in the coming season, if one believes most of the following will turn out to be true, one should be pretty excited:

  CP3 > Poole

  GP2 > DDV

  Wiggins > #40

  Saric > JMG

  TJD > PBJ

  Podz > Rollins

  Cory Joseph > Ty Jerome

  In-shape Klay > “afraid to scrimmage” Klay

  Year 3 Kuminga > Year 2 Kuminga

  Year 3 Moody > Year 2 Moody

  I for one, am one.

  Looks to me like we have more playable players, more shooting, more passing, more defense and more lineup flexibility.

  • fotd (12 ♡):

    Free and confident Green > hesitant, guilty and restrained Green

    Happy Curry > mouthpiece throwing Curry

• g8tgod (14 ♡):

  Here to celebrate the Saric signing and to eat crow on having given up hope that he would. Glad to be wrong on that.

  Also, in Celebrini I trust.

• vignette17 (13 ♡):

  A couple of more thoughts about the Saric signing:

  *He's the right side of 30. He joins GPII, Loon, Wiggs, Joseph as the players in their prime. He also gives it balance. 4 old farts, 4 youngsters, 5 prime. And yes I know Joseph might be straddling the prime and old fart line.

  * Man, Suns games will have drama. Steph vs KD, (in Klay's mind) Klay vs Booker, CP3/Saric getting revenge, Gordon choosing PHX over GS

  *Saric is probably the last nail in the coffin for a Lamb return. He does all the things Lamb did well (shoot a little as a big, passing, cutting at the right times). Good riddance.

  *Based on lineup data, Saric is better as a 5 not a 4. Given his complete inability to shoot, TJD is likely a strict 5 too. There is no 7 footer in the roster, but I wouldn't use the 14th spot on one, as we now have 3 strict 5s and our best center might still be when Dray is on. For the 3rd two way, sure.

  *If Saric is a 5, we only have 2 4s in JK and Dray. I would target a 4 with the last spot. That's why Gallo seems so perfect to me. Now, if Washington does buy him out, we almost have to thank them for their timing. Can't sign with LA or PHX if they've used all their roster spots.

• Sleepy Freud (13 ♡):

  Joseph is the third string PG, mostly injury insurance for CP3 and Steph. Doubt he sees the floor much if at all with either of them.

  Ws don’t run hockey substitutions, but for the sake of discussion, I think the de facto “second unit” is CP3-GP2-Moody-Kuminga-Saric.

  Which … is so freaking awesome I’d be totally comfortable with them running it as hockey substitution! Instead of JP on rollerskates alongside god-knows what big man trying to run the team when the OG starting 5 rests, we now have freaking **CP3 and Saric** — with JK, MM and GP slashing all over the place like madmen.

  Bring it on, mutherfuggers!!!

• Captain Jack (10 ♡):

  Steph / Klay / Wiggins / Draymond / Looney

  CP3 / GP2 / Moody / JK / Saric

  Joseph / PODZ / #14 spot / TDJ

  I don’t know y’all. Might be the homer in me but that’s definitely a team that’s worthy of contention if everybody is clicking and healthy.

  • Eric Apricot (10 ♡):

    If Dario pulls his weight [on second unit with CP3 and Kuminga], they will lead the league in complaining to refs

• GlueAndBold (10 ♡):

  The Šarić Paul familiarity is such a cool thing, not to mention Decky connection

• Abaddon (10 ♡):

  Optimistic fan: we got Saric, I knew we would, yahoo!

  Pessimistic fan: I didn’t think we’d get Saric, but now that we have, it clearly indicates nobody else wanted him for more of the veteran minimum, so he’s washed and won’t contribute. Great job FO :/

  (I’m optimistic myself. Yahoo!)

• hammystyle (9 ♡):

  Huge signing. I’d take Saric and his fit on the Dubs over anyone the Suns or Lakers added. He can be a difference maker. I’m really excited and optimistic we’re gonna see a big jump for Kuminga playing in various lineups with Saric and CP3.

  Personally CP3, Klay, Moses, Kuminga and Saric is my favorite core bench unit. Klays spacing will make a huge difference. That lineup could be surgical.

  Would be a home run to double down and add Jay Huff on a two-way deal. Otherwise they can go almost any direction with the final roster spot because Lester and GUI sure look like two great fits on the other two way deals.

  They’re actually in a spot where the first 13 are so solid and playable, with two ways behind them that you could sign a big C almost purely for Jokic matchups. I don’t think Hernangomez would go for that, but he’d be amazing. Quick look at wings and Svi Mykhauliuk would be a good fit as another shooter off the bench.

• Chaos_Samedi (9 ♡):

  Cp3, GP2, Moody kuminga saric yessir.

  Paul kuminga PnRs, GP2 in the corner moody and saric stretching the floor while having two great PoA defenders and two good team defenders to help saric

• crusty quips (8 ♡):

  Sweet, we got the guy everyone wanted! Just took a little bit of patience, something in short supply these days.

• Shawyer (7 ♡):

  Our long national nightmare… is over

• The Two Heineken Plan (7 ♡):

  Nice! pretty funny how I went through the full range of emotions on a Saric signing:

  - offseason begins: huh, pipe dream

  - draft review: maybe, let's not get our hopes up

  - draft: maybe, it wouldn't be bad too much to hope for

  - initial FA leak: omg, really!

  - FA day 1: be patient, reminder Otto and Belly took several days

  - FA day 2: what's taking so long!

  - Dame trade request: lol, and hurry up Saric!

  - Fisher explaination: Dame trade request, FA Saric waiting to see about Miami: oh no...

  - fear

  - anger

  - darkness

  - acceptance... now I know why the English say it's the hope that kills you

  - today: "Huzzah!"

  Been trying to generally stay positive as a fan, but was starting to give in to the tide of negativity. Whew! Let's go Dubs!

Highlights

Bball Index Scouting Report

Cleaning the Glass Scouting Report

• Glossary for the offensive terms.

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Free Agent Tracker with Live Updates

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