It may have gone completely under the radar given Game 7 of the NBA Finals, along with Kevin Durant's blockbuster move to the Houston Rockets, but the obvious contract move of former Golden State Warriors big man Dario Saric was also confirmed on Sunday.
As first reported by NBA insider Marc Stein, Saric has picked up his $5.4 million player option with the Denver Nuggets after a disastrous first season. It comes after former MVP Russell Westbrook opted out his player option earlier in the month, with the veteran guard set to test free agency again.
Former Warrior Dario Saric has put the Nuggets in a huge hole
Despite being linked to a move back to Europe, Saric was never going to get more than his player option in Denver and therefore it's no surprise to see him pick it up. However, it still does officially put the Nuggets in a huge hole that they can't escape from after regretfully giving the former Warrior a ridiculous contract last offseason.
After signing with the Warriors on a minimum contract in the 2023 offseason, Saric had some bright moments early in his tenure with the franchise before becoming near on unplayable by the end of the year.
Saric's ability to space the floor and be a high-level passer couldn't make up for his immense defensive limitations as a small-ball five, leaving him out of Steve Kerr's rotation for almost the entire last month of the season.
For some reason, now former Nuggets GM Calvin Booth believed it worthwhile to sign Saric to a two-year, $10.6 million contract. It was a strange deal from the moment it was first reported, yet has only become more disastrous as its played out.
Saric appeared in just 16 games and 210 total minutes with the Nuggets this season, averaging 3.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 36.2% from the floor and 26.9% from 3-point range.
Beyond having a veteran player make over $5 million who didn't contribute at all last season, Saric's expected contract decision puts Denver into a deeper hole because it places them above the first tax apron and brings with it the subsequent roster-building restrictions.
For a team looking to build a contender around the best player in the game, this is a problem with potentially championship-altering effects. Who knows what the Nuggets could have done in an already tight second-round series against OKC with another genuine rotation player, rather than having Saric rot on the bench making zero impact.
The same issue is now set to present itself again, with the only hope that a full offseason and training camp under a new head coach in David Adelman could lead to a surprise Saric resurgence.