Dario Saric Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Dario Saric May Not Enter Draft

February 22nd, 2014 at 9:59am CST by Cray Allred

Dario Saric is only 50/50 to enter the NBA draft this year, acccording to a series of tweets from Jonathan Givony of Draft Express. Givony reports that there is a lot of confusion surrounding the Croatian small forward slated at number 9 in Chad Ford of ESPN‘s latest mock draft [subscription only].

A combination of factors are leading Givony to cast doubt on Saric’s draft entry. First, Saric doesn’t feel he’s ready for the NBA. He also isn’t happy with his draft projection and has reportedly fired agents in both Croatia and the US. Finally, the Barcelona GM was spotted at one of Saric’s recent games, fueling speculation that the international team will try and sign him to stay overseas this summer.

Saric would be old enough to join an NBA team immediately if drafted, but it remains a possibility that he could be drafted and play one or two years overseas while the NBA club that drafted him maintained his rights. It’s also possible that he could skip the draft altogether and enter for the first time when he feels more comfortable with his game and his draft stock. The 6’10” scorer/rebounder has produced well this year, and has ball-handling skills unique for a player his size.

International Notes: Saric, Ajinca, Jeter

September 14th, 2013 at 12:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, we learned that former No. 6 overall pick Yi Jianlian agreed to a new two-year deal in the Chinese Basketball Association that, somewhat surprisngly, does not include an NBA out clause. Jianlian’s first go-round in the NBA was far from dazzling, but he looked rather strong last season in the CBA and had some wondering if he turned a corner in his professional career. Here’s more from around the globe..

In a piece for ESPN.com, Mark Woods spoke with Dario Saric, who pulled out of this year’s draft despite being ticketed for a first-round selection. Scouts who have watched him play over the last couple of seasons say that he is as close to a can’t-miss prospect as there is, but Saric says that he withdrew his name based on his own assessment of his readiness.
Big man Alexis Ajinca says his contract with Strasbourg of the French League still includes an NBA out clause and his agent is looking at options in the NBA, according to HoopsHype (via Twitter). Ajinca, taken 20th overall by the Bobcats in the 2008 Draft, says that he wasn’t mentally or physicially ready for the challenge of the NBA but believes that he’ll return (Twitter links). The 25-year-old is doing well at the Eurobasket, averaging 10.7 PPG and 6.9 RPG in less than 20 minutes per contest.
Guard Pooh Jeter, currently playing in Ukraine, still hopes to return to the NBA, writes Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype. Jeter, 29, spent the 2010/11 season with the Kings, averaging 4.1 PPG and 2.6 RPG in less than 14 minutes per game.
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Hoops Rumors’ International Player Movement Tracker.

Odds & Ends: Barea, Kenyon, Sampson, Copeland

July 6th, 2013 at 12:41am CST by Chuck Myron

Here's more from the NBA on an landmark night in free agency:

A Dallas source tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities that the Mavs' agreement with Jose Calderon likely knocks them out of discussions for J.J. Barea. Still, the Wolves remain upbeat about their chances of a Barea deal with the Mavs, in what would be a salary dump enabling Minnesota to clear money for a defensive-minded wing player (All Twitter links).
The Spurs have been one of many teams reportedly interested in Kenyon Martin, and now they're "in hot pursuit" of the veteran big man, though the Knicks and others remain in play, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game heard that Rockets assistant coach Kelvin Sampson wouldn't return to the team, but Sampson tells Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston that he'll be back in Houston. (Twitter links). "That's just a bad rumor," Sampson said. "I'm looking forward to a great year with the Rockets."
The Pacers and Chris Copeland discussed a third year that would have been a team option, but settled instead on their two-year, $6.12MM agreement, writes Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group briefly looks at what the Warriors could do with the trade exceptions they'll acquire as part of their deal with the Jazz. He also hears that the W's see Andre Iguodala as capable of handling backup point guard duties, so the team will prioritize finding a backup center over a backup point guard (Sulia link).
In a separate piece, Thompson recounts the steps Iguodala took on the way to his agreement with the Warriors, noting that Iggy has long considered Golden State a desirable destination.
Lately, agent Dan Fegan has been preoccupied with other free agent clients, such as Dwight Howard, so he and the Wizards have yet to begin discussing an extension for John Wall, writes J. Michael of CSNWashington.com. Wall is extension-eligible this season, and will hit restricted free agency next summer if he and the Wizards don't strike a deal by Halloween.
In an interview with DraftExpress.com, Dario Saric suggests that the Mavericks were interested in making him a promise at No. 13 had he not withdrawn from last week's draft.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Odds & Ends: Rivers, Saric, Clippers, D-League

June 16th, 2013 at 9:35pm CST by Zachary Links

While the big talk in the NBA right now is whether Doc Rivers will wind up coaching for the Celtics or Clippers next season, there's always the possibility that he takes the 2013/14 season off. If that's the case, Rivers could go from behind the bench to back behind a microphone, a source tells A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. "You guys (media) have been around Doc long enough to know that's always been something he's talked about," the source said. "So it shouldn't come as a surprise. And frankly, now is probably as good a time as any for him to go that route." Here's more from around the Association..

One team picking in the lottery promised Dario Saric that they would draft him this year if he guaranteed he'd play in the NBA next year, but he said no, tweets Chad Ford of ESPN.com. Earlier tonight we learned that the Croatian forward will formally withdraw from the draft tomorrow with an eye on the 2014 draft.
Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld wonders what the next move for the Clippers will be. The Clippers want to be active on the open market, but it's difficult to project how they will fill out their roster with free agents until they’ve taken care of their own players, especially Chris Paul.
This weekend's D-League tryouts are over, and Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside rounds up the intriguing prospects.
Before tonight's game, Heat big man Chris Andersen was asked about his thoughts on George Karl's dismissal from the Nuggets. “It’s never a good feeling to get released or get fired, so I can imagine how he feels," the former Nugget said, tweets Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida.

Dario Saric To Withdraw From Draft

June 16th, 2013 at 8:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Croatian forward Dario Saric will withdraw from the 2013 draft, agent Marc Cornstein told Chad Ford of ESPN.com. Saric has signed his letter of withdrawal and Cornstein will deliver it to the NBA on Monday, the deadline for international players to withdraw.

Saric was ranked at No. 11 Ford's list of prospects and at one point was regarded as a lottery pick by many NBA general managers and scouts. Saric was under serious consideration from the Pelicans, Trail Blazers, 76ers, Thunder, and Mavericks. Even though Mavs GM Donnie Nelson and Pelicans GM Dell Demps flew to Croatia to see Saric play recently, Saric was concerned he wouldn't get playing time in the NBA or would have a lengthy stint in the D-League.

Saric believes that with another season under his belt, he'll secure a higher spot in the draft and a bigger role in the NBA, Cornstein said. On the flip side, Saric will be vying with a much stronger talent class in the 2014 draft.

Draft Updates: Saric, Cavs, Noel, Knicks

June 11th, 2013 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

As I suggested last week when a report surfaced that Dario Saric was withdrawing from the 2013 draft, it sounds like he and his representatives have yet to make the decision official. Still, all signs are pointing to Saric pulling out of this year's class, according to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. The Croatian forward has until next Monday at 4:00pm central time to make a formal decision.

Here are a few more of the latest draft-related updates:

ESPN.com's Chad Ford believes there's a good chance Saric would go in the top 10 if he remained in the draft, adding that scouts familiar with Europe don't think there's a huge difference between Saric and Otto Porter.
Speaking of Porter, Ford says he remains a possibility for the Cavaliers at No. 1, since Cleveland is still a couple weeks away from making up its mind.
Could Nerlens Noel be available for the Bobcats when they pick fourth overall? One player-personnel executive connected to a lottery team thinks so, telling Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer that he believes the first three picks in the draft will be, in some order, Anthony Bennett, Ben McLemore, and Porter.
Tim Hardaway Jr., Glen Rice Jr., and Phil Pressey, three sons of former NBA players, will work out for the Knicks today, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
Lucas Nogueira tells Brett Pollakoff of NBCSports.com that he's flexible about the possibility of returning to Europe if the NBA team that drafts him thinks he needs more time overseas to develop.
Emiliano Carchia of Sportando passes along a report indicating that Janis Timma will be heading stateside to work out for several NBA teams in hopes of securing a spot in the draft. Like Saric, Timma has until June 17th to decide whether to remain in the draft or withdraw his name.

Draft Notes: McLemore, Saric, Nogueira

June 9th, 2013 at 8:24pm CST by Zachary Links

If today's reports are to be believed, then things aren't looking so great for Nerlens Noel. The Cavaliers, under pressure from owner Dan Gilbert to make the playoffs this year, could be leaning against drafting Noel since he will be sidelined for several months as he recovers from an ACL tear. On top of that, the Kentucky big man's injury could be worse than once thought with one observer saying that he could fall to the No. 6 pick or lower. Here's more draft news..

The Suns greatest needs are perimeter shooting and athleticism, which is why Ben McLemore would be the perfect pick for them at No. 5 in the opinion of the Arizona Republic's Paul Coro. However, he could very well be off the board by the time Phoenix picks. The Magic could be a fit at No. 2 as well as the Bobcats at No. 4.
Dario Saric's reported decision to withdraw from the draft has drawn the ire of some league scouts, writes Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress. A scout of one team picking in the teens opined, “[Saric was] not as accessible as he needed to be during the draft process; information hasn't been forthcoming outside of one draft blog. We can't draft a guy like that without getting him in our gym and without a physical or interview."
Lucas “Bebe” Nogueira is looking more and more like a first round draft pick, writes Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. The big man needs to add some size but he is modeling his game after Marcus Camby, who came into the league at 223 pounds in 1996.

Draft Updates: Saric, Cavs, McLemore, Workouts

June 7th, 2013 at 4:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Yesterday, ESPN.com's Chad Ford reported that Croatian forward Dario Saric was leaning toward withdrawing from this year's draft, a surprising stance given how much his stock has risen in recent weeks. Today, Michael McNamara of Bourbon Street Blues passes along an email he received from Saric's agent, Robert Jablan, which reads:

"We make decision this morning that we will withdraw Dario from the 2013 draft."

We have yet to hear officially that Saric has pulled his name out of this year's draft class, and it's possible something was lost in translation. But it certainly appears as if Saric is leaning in that direction. He still has 10 days to make a final decision, so while we wait for the official word on the potential lottery pick, let's check out a few more draft-related updates:

Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio reports that the Cavaliers are "seriously dissecting" the possibility of drafting Ben McLemore first overall, though he cautions that the team is far from decided on what it'll do with the pick (Twitter links). I'd be surprised if Cleveland eventually decided on McLemore — it sounds to me as if the team is just covering all its bases.
The latest Insider-only blog from Ford at ESPN.com is full of good info, including updates on Saric, Nerlens Noel, Trey Burke, and a handful of other prospects.
Anthony Bennett is unable to work out due to a rotator cuff injury, but he will meet with the Wizards next week, writes J. Michael of CSNWashington.com.
Lorenzo Brown, Myck Kabongo, Allen Crabbe, Jeff Withey, and Mike Muscala will work out for the Knicks on Monday, according to the team's official PR Twitter feed.
The Suns' workout today included C.J. Leslie, Matthew Dellavedova, Ian Hummer, Korie Lucious, Rodney McGruder, and Phil Pressey, says Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter).
Michael Carter-Williams intends to visit the Magic soon for a meeting and workout, tweets Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
Larry Drew II, E.J. Singler, Ian Clark, Ed Daniel, Trevor Mbakwe and Glen Rice Jr. worked out for the Trail Blazers today, according to a tweet from Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, who also reports that Cody Zeller is having an individual workout with Portland today.

Odds & Ends: Clippers, Collins, Shaw, Karl

June 6th, 2013 at 8:05pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports that Lionel Hollins met with the Clippers today and engaged in a lengthy conversation about their head coaching job. Turner also relays that Brian Shaw is expected to interview with team brass on either Monday or Tuesday next week (Twitter links). As for George Karl, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles tweets that while the Clippers haven't spoken to him directly, they have been in contact with his representative. Both ESPN's Marc Stein and Shelburne report that Karl and Shaw have emerged as the team's top two candidates for the job.

As we gear up for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, here are a few miscellaneous notes to share from around the league tonight:

As far as his next contract goes, Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki says that it'll probably be a two- or three-year deal (Jon Machota of SportsDayDFW).
Sam Amick of USA Today hears that the Grizzlies reached out to Karl almost immediately after he was let go in Denver today. The Nuggets had to grant permission to Memphis in order to reach out to Karl because the severance agreement hasn't been finalized and the 62-year-old coach is still under contract.
Amick notes that the Grizzlies had their sights set on assistant Dave Joerger as their top candidate to replace Hollins, but made that option contingent on whether or not Karl would become available.
Sportando.net's Emiliano Carchia tweets that former NBA player Andres Nocioni is in talks regarding a contract extension with Baskonia, a Spanish ballclub that participates in the ACB and Euroleague.
Flip Saunders confirmed on KFAN radio in Minnesota that the Timberwolves currently have Victor Oladipo ahead of Ben McLemore on their draft board, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.
ESPN Insider Chad Ford says that many teams are bummed that Dario Saric is considering withdrawing his name from this year's draft, adding that several NBA executives had him ranked in their top five or top seven prospects. He also mentions that there are other teams who had no intention of drafting Saric that aren't thrilled with the news either, considering the notion that the draft gets weaker when talent leaves. Interestingly enough, Ford says he wouldn't be surprised if some NBA teams that are currently in Italy for the Eurocamp will try to travel to Croatia in order to make an attempt to persuade Saric to keep his name in consideration this year (All Twitter links).
Ricky Ledo's agent, Seth Cohen, tells SNY.tv's Adam Zagoria that his client will not work out for the Thunder (Twitter link).
For whatever it's worth, Shaquille O'Neal said that he and Chris Webber would like to own the Kings (Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram noted the comment via Twitter).

Dario Saric Considering Withdrawing From Draft

June 6th, 2013 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Projected first-round pick Dario Saric is leaning toward withdrawing his name from draft consideration, according to ESPN.com's Chad Ford. While Saric is receiving plenty of interest and could easily be a lottery pick, the Croatian forward feels as if he's not quite ready for the NBA and wants to spend at least one more year playing overseas, says Ford.

Although NCAA underclassmen were required to make a decision on their draft status back in April, the rules are different for international prospects declaring their intent early. As we outlined back in March, international players like Saric can withdraw from draft consideration at any point up until 4:00pm CST on June 17th.

Even if Saric isn't interested in playing in the NBA for the 2013/14 season, it could be in his best interests to remain in the draft anyway. Some teams, like the Mavericks at No. 13, may actually be more inclined to select Saric if it means they can stash him for a year, removing his cap hold from their books for this summer. Next year's draft class figures to be stronger as well, meaning Saric could be selected later in 2014 even if his stock doesn't decline.

According to Ford, the Pelicans (sixth overall pick), Trail Blazers (10th), Thunder (12th), and Mavs have all shown "significant interest" in Saric.