Former Golden State Warriors big man Dario Saric may not been seen in the NBA again, with the 31-year-old remaining a free agent after being waived by the Detroit Pistons following his involvement in a series of moves before the trade deadline.
Saric appeared in just five games for the Sacramento Kings this season, and 16 last campaign in his sole year with the Denver Nuggets, meaning his chances of landing another opportunity elsewhere appear incredibly limited.
Dario Saric's NBA career may have come to an end
After being acquired by the Kings in the offseason, Saric was firstly traded to the Chicago Bulls in the three-team deal that landed Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and De'Andre Hunter to Sacramento.
The veteran big man then found himself involved in another deal, having been acquired by the Detroit Pistons in a three-team trade that also involved veteran Mike Conley, young guard Jaden Ivey, and sharpshooter Kevin Huerter.
Saric was waived by the Pistons in the days following the deadline, allowing him to re-enter free agency for the first time since departing Golden State for Denver on a two-year, $10.6 million contract in the 2024 offseason.
Given his complete lack of impact over the last two seasons, it's difficult to see Saric finding another NBA home when other bigs are also on the market, including another former Warrior in Chris Boucher.
If Saric has indeed played his last game in the league, then his one year with Golden State will represent the final time he was truly an impactful NBA player. He was a key signing for the Warriors in 2023 free agency on a minimum contract, and delivered upon that as a major contributor over the first couple of months.
Saric averaged the fourth-most points and second-most rebounds on the team in November, but by March and April his role with Golden State had become far more limited, which included appearing in just five of the last 21 games to close the regular season.
That removal from the rotation made the two-year contract from the Nuggets incredibly surprising, and now Saric may struggle to earn another contract, having spent nine years in the league after being taken 12th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Saric may be best known to date for his time with the Phoenix Suns, playing nearly three full seasons with the franchise which included a run to the 2021 NBA Finals where he unfortunately tore his ACL.