Croatian forward Dario Saric, the 12th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, won’t be leaving Turkey early to playfor the Philadelphia 76ers next season, his agent Jeff Schwartz told ESPN.
Sixers 2014 draftee Dario Saric will not play for the 76ers next season his agent, Jeff Schwartz, tells ESPN. Link coming …
— Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) June 22, 2015
Saric is currently under a three-year contract with Turkish team Anadolu Efes, but that hasn’t stopped Sixers brass and supporters from hoping for an early arrival.
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.
The Sixers drafted Saric knowing this might be the case. Saric agreed to the deal with Efes just three days before the draft last year.
The deal with Efes caused Saric’s stock to fall a little — he was projected as a top-10 pick before the draft.
There will be a big incentive for him to stay in Turkey for a third year and wait until the 2017-18 season to play in the NBA. At that point, Saric will no longer be bound by the rookie scale — allowing him to negotiate a big money contract.
Saric had a solid season for Efes this year, averaging 9.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 30 percent from 3-point range in Euroleague play.
