Croatian big man Dario Saric, who was selected with the No. 12 overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2014 NBA Draft, will not be playing for the 76ers next season as he will remain with his Turkish team Anadolu Efes, whom he agreed to a three-year deal with just days prior to last year’s draft.
According to Chad Ford of ESPN.com, the 76ers had made attempts to buy Saric out of his contract, but those efforts were for naught as a buyout would prove to be too pricy for Philly.
Saric is under a three-year contract with Turkish powerhouse Anadolu Efes. The Sixers reportedly have attempted to negotiate a buyout over the past month, but Saric’s buyout is too expensive to make the move practical, according to sources.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to 76ers fans, as spending two year’s overseas was Saric’s original plan when he was drafted. There had been rumblings from Saric’s father that his son was unhappy in Turkey due to a clash with his head coach over playing time and shot attempts, but that theory has since been debunked.
The 76ers are likely huge endorsers of Saric’s decision, as it allows them to craft their ideal roster while he continues to hone his skills in Turkey. It also saves them cash and a roster spot, which seems to be of importance to Philadelphia as they’ve served as somewhat of a revolving door for NBA players looking to make a name for themselves in the last two seasons.
Dario Saric averaged 9.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in Turkey this season. He has a player option on his Turkish contract that could delay his NBA debut until the 2017-18 season if he indeed does decide to exercise it.
