Dario Saric Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Aaron Gordon Meets With Frank Vogel

April 4th, 2017 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

A day after a photo showing an list of apparent offseason trade and free agent targets for the Magic went viral, Aaron Gordon met with head coach Frank Vogel to talk things over, per Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Although the leaked dry-erase board primarily features names of players on other teams, Gordon was referenced in an item that reads “[Dario] Saric (for AG?),” creating speculation that the Magic would be open to moving him in a trade for Saric.

“Typically, with rumors and stuff like that, we don’t really address them,” Vogel said. “But this is a unique situation, and I talked to him a little bit this morning, and everybody’s good. We’re ready to move on.”

Magic general manager Rob Hennigan downplayed the significance of the leaked board when he was asked about it, suggesting that it’s simply a list of potential options for the Magic, and that it doesn’t necessarily reflect their summer plans. Hennigan also mentioned that the list includes names “which other teams have inquired about,” an apparent reference to the Gordon item.

Nonetheless, it makes sense for Vogel to meet with Gordon to ensure that the young power forward isn’t unhappy. For his part, Gordon said he doesn’t intend to dwell on the revelation, as Robbins details.

“It wasn’t for me to see, so for me to see something like that, it brings something that’s out of my control into my reality,” Gordon said. “But that’s neither here nor there. My plan and my focus is to play basketball and to enjoy the game of basketball. Anything other than that is out of my control. I love this organization and I’m going to continue to work hard and play.”

It’s an unusual situation for Gordon and the Magic, and one that might be rendered moot in the near future anyway. Hennigan is said to be on the hot seat in Orlando, so if the team makes changes to its front office in the coming weeks, it could be a chance for a new front office team to start over with Gordon.

Meanwhile, the player whose name was listed next to Gordon’s is also doing his best to downplay the item’s significance. As Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes, Saric suggested today that he must be doing something right to show up on another team’s board, though he pointed out that the Magic could have had him already if they really wanted him — Orlando and Philadelphia participated in a draft-night trade in 2014 that saw the Magic acquire Elfrid Payton for the rights to Saric and other pieces.

Hennigan: Leaked Board “Not Indicative” Of Magic’s Plans

April 4th, 2017 at 10:39am CST by Luke Adams

The agent for newly-signed Magic swingman Patricio Garino created a stir this week when he tweeted out a photo of his client signing a contract with Orlando. The seemingly innocuous photo, which has since been deleted, went viral because of what showed up in the background behind Garino: A dry-erase board that listed apparent free agent and trade targets for the Magic.

Asked by Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel for a comment on the board, Magic general manager Rob Hennigan said the lists are “not indicative of plans” and are “simply listing options, including some which other teams have inquired about.”

The lists of players includes three visible headings: “Hybrid Trade,” “Hybrid Free Agency,” and “Spread Bigs Trade.” The first two columns list players capable of playing multiple positions, while the latter column focuses on big men who can shoot from outside. A fourth column appears to list “spread bigs” available in free agency, though it’s partially cut off.

Wilson Chandler, Justise Winslow, and Tobias Harris are among the many names on the “Hybrid Trade” list, with Danilo Gallinari, Paul Millsap, and Otto Porter among the names on the “Hybrid Free Agency” list. The “Spread Bigs Trade” column features names like Nikola Mirotic, Chandler Parsons, and many others.

One of the more interesting items under the “Hybrid Trade” column on the Magic’s board is a mention of Dario Saric with “For AG?” noted in parentheses. “AG” likely refers to Magic power forward Aaron Gordon, so it’s possible Hennigan’s claim that the board includes notes on players other teams have inquired about was meant to explain this item. However, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that the Sixers have never discussed sending Saric to the Magic or any other team.

Ultimately, the leak doesn’t seem overly consequential — the NBA’s other 29 teams likely have similar lists of potential offseason targets. Still, it’s not a great look for a front office that is already under fire. If Hennigan – who is said to be on the hot seat – is replaced after the season, the club could head into the summer with a new management group and a new big board in place.

Sixers Notes: Saric, Holmes, Okafor

March 21st, 2017 at 5:56pm CST by Austin Kent

Consider Dario Saric and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot a testament to the benefit of players developing in Europe. Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Inquirer recently published a column about how the Sixers’ pair gained more from their experiences abroad than they would have in a single year with an NCAA program.

“Their background in European system and style, et cetera, completely helps them be expedited when they enter an NBA court,” Sixers head coach Brett Brown told him, “unlike a one-and-done guy from Kentucky or Duke.”

Past and present big men Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor, of course, are one-and-done guys from Kentucky and Duke.

Hayes argues that Saric and Luwawu-Cabarrot have a maturity and toughness that has allowed them to excel this season. The former has put up 19.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game since Feb. 9 while the latter has added 7.6 points per despite only getting promoted to the starting lineup on March 11.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

The solid play of Richaun Holmes has validated the Sixers’ decision to ship Noel off to Dallas, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Noel posted 24 points and 9 rebounds twice in his 171 game stay with Philadelphia, Holmes has done it twice in the past ten days.
Though he’s missed action with a sore knee, the Sixers have no plans to shut down Okafor for the remainder of the season. Head coach Brett Brown suggested to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer that doing so would over-dramatize the injury.
Don’t get it twisted — while the current executive staff is getting a lot of credit for the upstart Sixers, the Iceberg Theory of Success is applicable. Josh Wilson of Fansided’s The Sixers Sense explains.

Sixers Notes: Saric, Okafor, Noel

February 18th, 2017 at 10:57am CST by Austin Kent

Although a crowded frontcourt has kept the Sixers in the spotlight through the first four months of the NBA season, there are other concerns that the Philadelphia franchise will have to address heading forward. Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Inquirer decided to shine a light on some of the less discussed roster dynamics in a recent column.

One of the biggest questions that Sixers head coach Brett Brown will have to answer as the roster formally evolves from rebuilding project to actual Eastern Conference contender is what to do at the power forward spot. Currently the club starts veteran Ersan Ilyasova with rookie Dario Saric slotted in as his replacement off the bench. Saric’s play of late, however, has warranted more playing time. In nine February games, Saric has averaged 15.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.

Considering the progress that the Croatian has made, general manager Bryan Colangelo will need to determine whether he trusts Saric enough to let the 29-year-old Ilyasova and his expiring $8.4MM walk this summer. Another challenge the club’s brass will have to face is to truly assess the value of backup big man Richaun Holmes. Holmes has impressed, averaging nearly 15 points and 10 rebounds per 36 minutes, but it’s unclear whether the team would be comfortable with him as Philly’s primary backup center.

Another thing that the Sixers will have to address in the near future is adding perimeter offense. It’s imperative, Cooney writes, that the team add shooters who can open the floor for Joel Embiid and eventually Ben Simmons.

There’s more out of Philadelphia:

Although nothing has transpired yet, there have been plenty of trade talks surrounding Jahlil Okafor. Although the second-year center’s name has come up in rumors all season long, he was held out of two games last week as the franchise engaged in discussions with “10 or 11 teams”. Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Okafor grew up playing against Anthony Davis of the Pelicans and would be particularly interested in playing in his hometown for the Bulls. Both New Orleans and Chicago are among the teams with whom Philadelphia has discussed a possible trade.
For what it’s worth, Joel Embiid believes that the Sixers could utilize all of their assets, including Jahlil Okafor. As Pompey writes in a separate Philadelphia Inquirer piece, Embiid suggested as much on Saturday. “We got a lot of talent, and I feel we can use everybody if we want to get to where we want to,” Embiid said.
Once at the center of trade rumors, Sixers center Nerlens Noel has noticed a change in culture, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype. “It’s a lot more fun, a lot more enjoyable, and it honestly feels like a whole new culture,” Noel said. The big man is aware of the logjam at his position, however. “[Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor and I] are all genuine, and we’re all young men who just want to play well in this league and see each other do well at the same time.”

Sixers Notes: Covington, Rodriguez, Saric

October 10th, 2016 at 8:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Small forward Robert Covington should get plenty of scoring opportunities with the presence of center Joel Embiid this season, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid’s ability to draw double teams in the post could often leave Covington open beyond the 3-point arc, where he’s made 40% of his attempts this preseason. He’s also intent upon gaining a reputation as a strong defender, Pompey adds. “I’m going to keep growing as a defender, becoming a two-way player,” Covington told Pompey.

In other preseason news involving the Sixers:

In the same article, Pompey notes that point guard T.J. McConnell has been looking more for his shot, McConnell is averaging 10 points and 4.6 assists while shooting 50% during the first three preseason games.
Veteran point guard Sergio Rodriguez, who is playing in the NBA for the first time since 2010, has already endeared himself to the team’s big men, Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The longtime Euro star had 15 points, eight assists and no turnovers in 27 minutes against the Cavaliers on Saturday. “He’s really helpful,” Embiid told Cooney. “When we play, he always talks to me and tells me where I need to be and how to get position.” Rodriguez, who has an $8MM contract this season, is currently backing up McConnell with Jerryd Bayless sidelined by a wrist injury.
Coach Brett Brown plans to limit forward Dario Saric‘s minutes during the preseason, Brian Seltzer of Sixers.com relays. Saric has gotten very little time off since last October, when he played in Europe. Saric was also a key member of Croatia’s Olympic team in Rio this summer. Saric played well in the team’s first two preseason games before shooting 1-for-7 from the field against the Cavaliers. Brown is planning to sit him for the team’s next game on Tuesday. “I sense sometimes that he is sore, and I just want to be mindful of that,” Brown told Seltzer.

Atlantic Notes: Simmons, McCullough, Noah

October 3rd, 2016 at 9:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Sixers are still coming to terms with the injury to No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons, who is expected to undergo surgery in the near future due to a broken foot he suffered during practice last week, Aaron Carter of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Dealing with injuries is nothing new to the team as of late, coach Brett Brown noted. “There is nobody, sadly, that’s had more experience dealing with injured draft picks than we have,” Brown said. “So over the course of time, you learn how to best deal with it. There needs to be, there has been, and we’ll get better this time, a holistic approach to the person. There needs to be understanding that there’s an opportunity to educate [Simmons] in the film room, watching different NBA players and teaching him. There might be an opportunity where we sit him in a chair and remake his shot, rebuild his shot, and really spend time with the fundamentals of his shot.”

The loss of Simmons will open up a larger opportunity for rookie forward Dario Saric, Carter adds. “That’s where my head goes to first,” Brown said. “Dario will have more opportunities, responsibilities. I think how we rotate this group now will change. We will learn a lot. The preseason’s really going to be good for us in that regard.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

The Nets need to replace Thaddeus Young, who was the starter at power forward last season, and if he has a solid preseason, it may be with 2015 first-rounder Chris McCullough, Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily notes. “That’s a spot that’s open,” coach Kenny Atkinson said of the four spot, adding that the Brooklyn has ‘versatile bigs’ in guys like McCullough, Luis Scola, Justin Hamilton and Anthony Bennett. McCullough, 21, only appeared in 24 games in 2015/16, missing the beginning of the season as he recovered from a torn Achilles he suffered in college.
Knicks center Joakim Noah is nursing a minor hamstring injury and is likely to sit out Tuesday’s preseason opener against the Celtics as a precautionary measure, Ebenezer Samuel of The New York Daily News relays. The big man did not practice today as a result of the malady, the scribe adds.
Shooting guard Avery Bradley wants to be known as the best defender in the NBA and understands that for him to garner that honor, his Celtics teammates will also have to up their play on the defensive end, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com relays.

Atlantic Notes: Carroll, Rose, Kuzminskas

September 30th, 2016 at 10:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

DeMarre Carroll‘s first season with the Raptors after signing with the team as a free agent was marred by injury, with him seeing action in only 26 games as a result. While he’s still not 100% recovered, Carroll hopes his second campaign in Toronto is more productive, The Associated Press relays. “I look at it as basically my first season [with Toronto],” the 30-year-old Carroll said. “A new season, a new beginning. I’ve just got to come in and get back to playing DeMarre Carroll basketball when I’m healthy.” Speaking about the steps he took to prepare his injured knee for a return to the court, Carroll said, “We took a hard approach about it and we did it the right way. Last season it was more of a rush, trying to get me back. We didn’t go through the whole thing we needed to go through to get the knee to where it needs to be. I feel that we’re on the right track.”

Here’s more out of the Atlantic:

Not only is Derrick Rose getting used to a new city and new teammates, he’s also attempting to acclimate to the Knicks‘ triangle offense, which isn’t an easy task, Ian Begley of ESPN.com writes. “It’s complicated a little bit right now because it’s new to us. It’s foreign. But I think the more we work on it and the way the coaches are putting it into the offense, it’s [going to get] little bit easier,” Rose said after Thursday’s practice. “[There’s] like 40 to 50 options on one side of the floor. It’s like giving you your space for creativity. It’s like if you’re doing it the right way, you could do everything you want, you could freelance but you just got to know where you’re going.”
The Knicks are pleased with the outside shooting of rookie Mindaugas Kuzminskas, who may end up being Carmelo Anthony‘s primary backup at small forward, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “He’s a guy that with his size, got agility, you can look at him at the 2 or 3,’’ coach Jeff Hornacek said. “There could be times we use his length at the 2 spot. He’s a guy who cuts — cutters open everything up. The stat’s not in the paper. You don’t get glory from it but it’s a huge part.’’
Dario Saric‘s athleticism and versatility is earning him praise from the Sixers coaching staff and is setting the rookie forward apart from the other members of the team’s crowded frontcourt, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

Sixers Notes: Rodriguez, Stauskas, Bayless, Simmons

September 29th, 2016 at 6:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers coach Brett Brown is enjoying the luxury of having veteran leaders in camp this season, writes Brian Seltzer of NBA.com. The Philadelphia front office has been criticized in past years for not putting experienced players on the roster to guide the team’s young talent. Over the summer, the Sixers added free agents Jerryd Bayless, Gerald Henderson and Sergio Rodriguez and re-signed Elton Brand. Brown seemed particularly impressed with Rodriguez, who has 10 years of professional experience between the NBA and Spain, along with two Olympic appearances. “He just has a real gift for understanding especially offensive tempo,” Brown said. “I think he’s got a bounce to his game and a pace to his game that he will be absorbed in how I want to play.”

There’s more training camp news from the Sixers:

Entering his second season in Philadelphia, Nik Stauskas finally feels comfortable in the NBA, relays Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. After being picked eighth overall by the Kings in 2014, Stauskas has produced two lackluster seasons, but he sounds ready for a turnaround this year. “I have a confidence that I know I belong here now,” he said. “The first two years, there’s so many times that I’m trying to fit in. I go to bed at night and I wonder, do I really belong here? Like, is this where I was meant to be? I think this is the first time in my NBA career where I said I know I belong here.”
Bayless was on the Bucks team that was a surprise playoff participant two years ago and he sees similarities with the current Sixers squad, Pompey writes in a separate piece. “That’s not a promise or anything,” Bayless added. “But at the same time, if we follow the path, and we play defense on a nightly basis, you never know what can happen. We just want to continue to get better.”
Brown is working on combinations in camp involving rookies Ben Simmons and Dario Saric and he plans to use them together during the season, Pompey notes in another story. “I think the pluses are you have 6-10 do-alls that really can jump into a very versatile defensive world with perhaps a lot of switching,” Brown said. “I think they are elite defensive rebounders that can rebound, lead a break, and take off.”

Atlantic Notes: Mutombo, Brown, Simmons

September 18th, 2016 at 12:55pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Raptors have added Patrick Mutombo to their coaching staff, Blake Murphy of the Raptors Republic reports (Twitter link). Mutombo previously was an assistant coach with the Nuggets and more recently, an assistant coach with the Austin Spurs of the D-League.

Here’s more

Brett Brown remains focused on developing a culture within the Sixers organization, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “Those things ultimately matter,” said Brown. “Maybe not so much to the outside world, but if you really want to grow a program [it does]. I’ve seen what championships look like. I’ve seen five times what it takes to play in June. . . . So the growth sometimes might not be as quantifiable to the outside world. But I know it.”
While the Sixers will closely monitor Joel Embiid‘s minutes, rookie Ben Simmons will have no minutes restrictions and is expected to play over 30 minutes a game, Pompey passes along in the same piece. Simmons is also expected to take reigns of the offense early on.
Brown believes Dario Saric‘s experience playing in Europe will help him transition to the NBA, Jessica Camerato of Comcast Sportsnet writes. “He sort of contradicts his birth certificate in that his basketball experiences are rich,” Brown said.. “He’s not a kid. He’s no kid. He’s 22, but he’s no kid.” Saric was drafted by the Magic with the 12th pick in the 2014 draft before being traded to the Sixers.

Sixers Notes: Hinkie, Noel, Okafor, Embiid

September 14th, 2016 at 6:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former Sixers GM Sam Hinkie will take at least a year away from basketball to teach at Stanford, he tweeted today. Hinkie, who resigned from the team in April, sent out a series of tweets discussing his present and future. He called this a “gap year,” but didn’t speculate on whether he hopes to return to the NBA (Twitter link). Hinkie, who spent three years in Philadelphia’s front office, refused to comment further on the tweets when contacted by Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. However, a Deadspin report suggests the former GM will be a guest speaker for one or more Stanford classes, rather than actually becoming a faculty member.

There’s more Sixers news this evening:

Nerlens Noel is the most likely player to be traded to ease the logjam in the Sixers’ frontcourt, writes Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Inquirer. In a series of predictions for the upcoming season, Cooney says it’s a close call between Noel and center Jahlil Okafor, but he suggests that Noel will be sent elsewhere before the trading deadline in February. Cooney also predicts that a minutes restriction on Joel Embiid will last until about Christmas, that rookie Ben Simmons will start right away and lead the team in minutes played, that Dario Saric will need time to adjust to the NBA but will claim a greater role as the season wears on and that Philadelphia will win 27 games, up 10 from a year ago.
The Sixers should consider trading both Noel and Okafor, according to Zach Harper of CBSSports.com. Harper suggests Philadelphia could get a nice return for Noel right now and then deal Okafor next spring or summer to a team that gets disappointed in the draft lottery. If Embiid’s health holds up, Harper states that he and Simmons could be the building blocks of a contender. The writer lists the Celtics, Pelicans, Timberwolves and Rockets as possible destinations for Noel, and the Lakers as the best option for Okafor.