Qualified for the final of the TQO in Piraeus after Croatia's victory against the Dominican Republic yesterday (80-77), Dario Saric was able to celebrate this with the officialization of the signing of his new contract in the NBA. Author of 14 points, 5 rebounds and valuable in the final alongside Mario Hezonja and Ivica Zubac, the Croatian interior (30 years old, 2.08m) has indeed committed for two years in favor of the Nuggets for 10.6 million dollars. Adrian Wojnarowski specified that the second year was a “player option”.
This is a new challenge of choice that presents itself to Dario Saric after having played with Stephen Curry's Warriors last season. Victim of a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee in July 2021 during the NBA Finals between the Suns and the Bucks, then operated on the meniscus of the same knee in May 2022, Dario Saric has never regained the level he was at before his injury. However, he remains very well rated in the NBA, particularly for his versatility, being able to play in 4 as in 5, but also his experience and his basketball IQ. Qualities that Nuggets GM Calvin Booth was looking for to complete his racket.
After having rubbed shoulders with Stephen Curry last season, the Croatian will this time be associated with another superstar of the league in the person of Nikola Jokic, to replace him at position 5 or support him at position 4, a perspective which certainly had to weigh in the balance when it came time to decide.
At the Piraeus Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Dario Saric's Croatia will face Giannis Antetokounmpo's Greece in the final tonight.
| Dario Saric | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2016-17 | PHL | 81 | 26 | 41.1 | 31.1 | 78.2 | 1.4 | 5.0 | 6.3 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 12.8 |
| 2017-18 | PHL | 78 | 30 | 45.3 | 39.3 | 86.0 | 2.0 | 4.7 | 6.7 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 14.6 |
| 2018-19 * | All Teams | 81 | 25 | 43.7 | 36.5 | 88.0 | 1.6 | 4.1 | 5.7 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 10.6 |
| 2018-19 * | MIN | 68 | 24 | 45.4 | 38.3 | 87.5 | 1.5 | 3.9 | 5.5 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 10.5 |
| 2018-19 * | PHL | 13 | 31 | 36.4 | 30.0 | 90.0 | 1.6 | 5.1 | 6.7 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 11.1 |
| 2019-20 | PHX | 66 | 25 | 47.6 | 35.7 | 84.4 | 1.5 | 4.6 | 6.2 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 10.7 |
| 2020-21 | PHX | 50 | 17 | 44.7 | 34.8 | 84.8 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 8.7 |
| 2022-23 * | All Teams | 57 | 14 | 45.8 | 39.1 | 82.9 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 6.4 |
| 2022-23 * | PHX | 37 | 14 | 42.7 | 39.1 | 81.8 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 5.8 |
| 2022-23 * | OKAY | 20 | 14 | 51.5 | 39.1 | 84.4 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 7.4 |
| 2023-24 | GOS | 64 | 17 | 46.6 | 37.6 | 84.9 | 1.1 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 8.1 |
| Total | 477 | 23 | 44.5 | 36.2 | 83.9 | 1.4 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 10.6 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
