Dario Saric

[Rosque]

Im debating on whether the Pistons should take him at 8.

Why would you take him? Drummond, Smoove and Monroe...plus Saric? No thanks. It'd be TERRIBLE for his development. As I said, Spurs, Suns are his best options.

Are they really keeping those 3 anyway?

They'd be stupid to let Monroe leave for nothing. Also Jennings is awful PG for everybody -- especially Saric.

[Spalato]

I have my concerns about Dario.

After watching Sasha Pavlovic in the ABA final four, you could tell athletically he was on a completely different level to the other players. It was that obvious. The guy looked like LeBron out there. And he failed in the NBA.

But I didn't get the same impression when watching Dario. He lacked speed, and his first step was non-existant. That first step is so important in the NBA.

[nickforthreee]

do u guys think he will stay in the draft this year?

[Johnlac1]

I have my concerns about Dario.

After watching Sasha Pavlovic in the ABA final four, you could tell athletically he was on a completely different level to the other players. It was that obvious. The guy looked like LeBron out there. And he failed in the NBA.

But I didn't get the same impression when watching Dario. He lacked speed, and his first step was non-existant. That first step is so important in the NBA.

Jan Veseley looked unstoppable in Euro play as well. At the Euro level his tremendous athleticism could be dominating. But when he came to the NBA and ran into players just as big and athletic, he could barely get off the bench. Because he didn't have the skills. It's not just one or the other. Saric is not a great athlete, but he's got a good combination of skills, IQ, and the basic athleticism to play well in the NBA. I'm still wondering how Luis Scola does it, but he's got the skills and the IQ. Saric, while not the same kind of player, can be as successful as Scola.

[pohani komarac]

Saric vs. Cedevita, some missing highlights icluded....(btw., those who ask how he would look like in NCAA, nm. 14 in black is Goran Suton, former NCAA star who is now in his prime...got destroyed by Saric)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJJcDuYLLeI[/youtube]

Dario Saric poster dunk vs. Zadar

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij5qWEjkEoc[/youtube]

[No-Man]

Saric will be a slightly different version of Kyle Anderson in NCAA, more of a post player not playing PG like Slo-mo, better defender.

[Dr Positivity]

Saric will be a slightly different version of Kyle Anderson in NCAA, more of a post player not playing PG like Slo-mo, better defender.

Yeah I've gone back and forth but I've decided I like Saric more. Feel he's more likely to fit physically and while Anderson is a better shooter, Saric in the post helps make up for it and he can catch up in shooting anyways

[sisibilio]

I have my concerns about Dario.

After watching Sasha Pavlovic in the ABA final four, you could tell athletically he was on a completely different level to the other players. It was that obvious. The guy looked like LeBron out there. And he failed in the NBA.

But I didn't get the same impression when watching Dario. He lacked speed, and his first step was non-existant. That first step is so important in the NBA.

Jan Veseley looked unstoppable in Euro play as well. At the Euro level his tremendous athleticism could be dominating. But when he came to the NBA and ran into players just as big and athletic, he could barely get off the bench. Because he didn't have the skills. It's not just one or the other. Saric is not a great athlete, but he's got a good combination of skills, IQ, and the basic athleticism to play well in the NBA. I'm still wondering how Luis Scola does it, but he's got the skills and the IQ. Saric, while not the same kind of player, can be as successful as Scola.

I don't think Vesely was dominant in Europe eiher, he looked better for sure, cause he played in a system that made easier to cover up his limitations, but he looked far from a Kirilenko who you could label effectively as "unstopable".
And BTW the first step is critical in the NBA for wings but Saric is not and won't be a wing, that should be clear by now.

[165bows]

He has an almost Charles Barkley or Paul Pierce style of attack from the wing. In other words, he likes to back guys down from 15+, but also transitions into a quick face up power dribble drive move as well.

[Spalato]

And BTW the first step is critical in the NBA for wings but Saric is not and won't be a wing, that should be clear by now.

In my eyes he's a player that doesn't fit anywhere.

His speed is an issue if he wants to be a wing, but his prospects are even worse if he wants to be a PF. He can barely shoot over European players in the post as it is, imagine how tough he will find it shooting over NBA players with freakish length and athleticism?

If he wants to succeed in the NBA he needs to be a wing player. That's where he's most comfortable given that he loves to create. Therefore, improving his speed must be his first, second, and third priority. In my opinion that's his best and only hope.

Fortunately Dario loves to work and improve, and I'm sure he'll find a way. But unfortunately I don't think he'll ever be a star.

[Rosque]

And BTW the first step is critical in the NBA for wings but Saric is not and won't be a wing, that should be clear by now.

In my eyes he's a player that doesn't fit anywhere.

His speed is an issue if he wants to be a wing, but his prospects are even worse if he wants to be a PF. He can barely shoot over European players in the post as it is, imagine how tough he will find it shooting over NBA players with freakish length and athleticism?

If he wants to succeed in the NBA he needs to be a wing player. That's where he's most comfortable given that he loves to create. Therefore, improving his speed must be his first, second, and third priority. In my opinion that's his best and only hope.

Fortunately Dario loves to work and improve, and I'm sure he'll find a way. But unfortunately I don't think he'll ever be a star.

He is too slow for SF. Imagine what LeBron's and Durant's will do to him. Jeez. He is, will be, and is only a PF. Because he is faster than players like ZBo, Pau and KLove. He would just abuse them offensively because he has nice handles and great court vision. Talk about a mismatch. We've seen numerous times where a player with short wingspan makes it in the league and/or not athletic in terms of NBA athleticism. See: Scola, ZBo. If he gets 18-20 + minutes and continues to improve he can be really good sixth man and/or great 3rd banana on a contender and lousy go-to guy because I doubt he can do that....maybe on Bucks or Sixers.

[bbms]

He looks like a face up 4. Basketball awareness, passing ability, court vision. I don't think he'll be able to defend a lot of PFs without adding at least 20 pounds. There aren't a lot of players with his combo of athleticism, strenght and wingspan that are capable rebounders.

This means he ins't an NBA starter, unless he puts up some serious muscles AND has an incredible eye for rebounding and defensive awareness.

But on the bright side, there are a lot of NBA teams that play small ball on their second units. He might become a perfect combo-forward to play on second units, and if he adapts well and develops a good jump shot, in the next three years, he could very well be a 6th man of the year kind of player.

Physical tools are overrated for second unit players, specially the ones with passing ability. They just need to be smart enough to find the defensive holes on the opposition side, make the right passes, set the right screens, get good position off the ball and make their shots. Nick Collison's corpse is the most impactful bench player in this league RAPM-wise.

I'd take a Collison in the late lottery for sure. Much better than a Kwame Brown, a Hasheem Thabeet or even a Jan Vesely, who was very athletic but didn't have any basketball skill.

[Spalato]

Either way if Dario wants to be a starter he has to specialise, because it's obvious he doesn't have the talent nor the physical gifts to be a-little-bit-of-everything, something that he tries so hard to do. But specialising aint easy.

I remember they experimented with turning Kukoc into a banger, but that turned out to be a total disaster, because it took away everything that made Toni so unique (and special).

I have a feeling the same thing would happen to Saric.

Therefore I agree that most likely he will be a bench player like Kuki. Being a match-up nightmare, star sixth-man would probably be his ceiling. And if he does reach that ceiling, there's no doubt he will be a hot commodity in this league.

[Mik317]

How about Lamar Odom?

Later career version as from the (very) little I know about Saric, I don't think his handle is as good (nor is he as athletic) but I am talking about role. Super sixth man type stuff, solid starter if needed. Basically the kind of tweener that isn't a bad thing.

[HeartBreakKid]

And BTW the first step is critical in the NBA for wings but Saric is not and won't be a wing, that should be clear by now.

In my eyes he's a player that doesn't fit anywhere.

His speed is an issue if he wants to be a wing, but his prospects are even worse if he wants to be a PF. He can barely shoot over European players in the post as it is, imagine how tough he will find it shooting over NBA players with freakish length and athleticism?

If he wants to succeed in the NBA he needs to be a wing player. That's where he's most comfortable given that he loves to create. Therefore, improving his speed must be his first, second, and third priority. In my opinion that's his best and only hope.

Fortunately Dario loves to work and improve, and I'm sure he'll find a way. But unfortunately I don't think he'll ever be a star.

He is too slow for SF. Imagine what LeBron's and Durant's will do to him.

The same thing they do to everyone else.

Shouldn't people be more worried about what the average SF would do to Sario?

[Golden Angel]

My Top 5 Europeans coming into this years draft.
1. Dario Saric
2. Jusuf Nurkic
3. Clint Capela
4. Kristaps Porzingis
5. Damien Inglis

[Chuck Diesel]

I have my concerns about Dario.

After watching Sasha Pavlovic in the ABA final four, you could tell athletically he was on a completely different level to the other players. It was that obvious. The guy looked like LeBron out there. And he failed in the NBA.

But I didn't get the same impression when watching Dario. He lacked speed, and his first step was non-existant. That first step is so important in the NBA.

Appreciate the eyewitness account. Sasha Pavlovic did not fail in the NBA, he played for in the league for nine years.

[Marcus]

He is too slow for SF. Imagine what LeBron's and Durant's will do to him.

The same thing they do to everyone else.

Shouldn't people be more worried about what the average SF would do to Sario?

EXACTLY!!! Never understood that logic about "what will happen when he guards Lebron, Durant, or Melo?" Those guys destroy defenders in general throughout the league. Every team in the league doesn't have a Bron, Durant, or Melo on it so that argument is flawed. Guys like that will get their buckets anyway and it takes team defense to stop and or contain them.

Anyway, Saric scouting vid up. I gave a **** maybe some of you will too.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqmQD_lJlj8[/youtube]

[Rosque]

Marcus, have you seen Dario play multiple times live in the Arena or just scouting report? No? Oh, mkay. I also think that players like Batum, Giannis and players like that will destroy him. Imagine Iggy on Dario. That's mismatch. No, teams don't have top5 players in the league but they do have Batums and Iggys. It's not like he will become player like Gallo who was decent defender at the 3 spot. Dario IS NOT that. He is slow for that position. Offensively and defensively he is PF because of mismatch offensively and great matchup defensively.

[Marcus]

Marcus, have you seen Dario play multiple times live in the Arena or just scouting report? No? Oh, mkay. I also think that players like Batum, Giannis and players like that will destroy him. Imagine Iggy on Dario. That's mismatch. No, teams don't have top5 players in the league but they do have Batums and Iggys. It's not like he will become player like Gallo who was decent defender at the 3 spot. Dario IS NOT that. He is slow for that position. Offensively and defensively he is PF because of mismatch offensively and great matchup defensively.

that's fine that you feel that way, I never said that he was/is gonna be quick enough to play the 3 in the NBA.
Just don't understand how people use Lebron and Durant as the measuring stick for if a player is capable of defending the 3 in the NBA. They are 2 of the most unguardable in the league. NOBODY has an easy time guarding them. Only the elite of the elite defenders with additional physical gifts effectively guard those 2. I don't believe its been stated anywhere that Saric was that or has those gifts. My argument isn't for Saric playing the 3 or the 4 or in the NBA in general for that matter. Could care less. I'm all about the wait and see approach in this case because I haven't really seen the kid play. Only point I was making is that its unfair to disregard someone's potential at being effective at a position just because they can't guard 2 guys that NOBODY CURRENT IN THE NBA has an easy time guarding. If your point was that he can't stay in front of the average 3 in the NBA and that he'll struggle nightly because of that then fine. But Bron and KD aren't guardable for over 95% of the league so to that point nobody but those 2 and that 5% percent should be playing in the league at all. Tone down the expectations.