Dario Saric’s regrets during his time in Philadelphia

Everything can go very quickly in the NBA, and the example of Dario Saric is one among many others, even if the case of the Croatian, between unfortunate exchanges and injuries, is quite telling. During his sophomore season with Philadelphia in 2017/18, the position 4 was then turning around 15 points per game and could legitimately hope to make his mark as a major player within the league, when he had not yet only 23 years old.

Five years and two trades later, Dario Saric therefore made his annual return to the land of his first exploits, with the Suns jersey on Monday. With three short minutes on the clock that evening, and an almost zero impact on the start of the season, he is in a complicated situation as he is in his last year of contract.

A hard pill to swallow

Despite this sad observation, the interior was comforted by taking pleasure in returning to his old home, where everything had started so well for him.

“It always feels good. I have very good memories of the time. I see everyone I know before the game. The room is a bit different, they renovated it. But the fans are the same, they are still fully behind the Sixers. It’s awesome. It’s good to come back, to see people I know and to remember the great history that I lived here”he slipped on the sidelines of the meeting, ensuring in particular that he had kept links with former comrades of that time, such as Furkan Korkmaz.

His match spent largely on the bench also gave him time to remember this lovely adventure of just over two seasons, until Philly seized the opportunity to recover Jimmy Butler. With Robert Covington, Dario Saric had then served as a bargaining chip, to his great astonishment.

“I was a little surprised. I didn’t know what to expect. It was the first time it happened to me in the middle of the season. I said to myself: ‘It can’t happen like that’. But I understood that it was part of the job and we end up moving on. he added. “My first impression was of not understanding, because it was my first team. After a few days, we move on and focus on his new team, on his new teammates, and you try to be the best player you can be there.

The Sixers too impatient?

Four years later, almost to the day, it’s still time for regrets, while Jimmy Butler left for Miami the following summer. Dario Saric believes the Sixers wanted to go too fast.

“It was a good, young team. There was a lot of potential. We could have been a good team in the long term. With good “role players”, and good stars in the team. I do not know. That’s what I saw, but apparently not everyone saw the same thing and swapped players.”, he added.

Back from a white season due to an injury to the cruciate ligaments of the knee, Dario Saric continues to take his troubles patiently hoping that his time will come, whether as a strong winger or as a pivot.

“I don’t have knee pain, which is the most important thing. I am not afraid. My strength has never been speed, jumping or anything like that. I understand basketball very well, so that was the most important thing. I feel good, I feel ready, and I can’t wait to be on the pitch”.