Stealing a player in restricted free agency is tricky, but the New Orleans Pelicans might have a chance to nab Dario Saric at a good price.
News that the salary cap is likely to plummet will have teams like the New Orleans Pelicans trawling the league for bargains and restricted free agents they might be able to steal.
Teams will have some tough choices to make, as they will have less money to spend, so may take more risks on younger players and will certainly keep their eyes open for a bargain.
Dario Saric is one guy the New Orleans Pelicans should keep their eyes on.
Saric is currently a member of the Phoenix Suns after being traded by the Timberwolves, along with the #11 pick, for the #6 pick in the 2019 NBA draft.
Saric looked to be a rising young star for the 76ers, but his production has dropped off the last three seasons after his role was changed on three different teams.
In his second season for the 76ers, Saric averaged 14.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 39.3 percent from long-range.
If the New Orleans Pelicans could get some semblance of that Saric, he could be a potential bargain as a stretch-four.
But could the Pelicans steal him away from the Suns?
How the New Orleans Pelicans can get Saric
The Phoenix Suns already have $91.7 million in salary committed to the 2020-21 season, which means they won’t have much to spend if the cap does in fact go way down.
Saric’s current qualifying offer would be around $5.08 million, a number the Suns would almost certainly be comfortable paying, but Saric has shown enough that someone with space will likely offer him more.
How much more is the real question. Were Saric’s early flashes enough to get him a fat deal?
It’s possible he will, and if some team is willing to offer $15 million a year for Saric’s services, then the Suns and certainly the New Orleans Pelicans, would walk away.
But what if Saric could be had for less? The Pelicans could potentially open a $7 million slot by waiving Darius Miller before the July 8th deadline.
If they offered Saric something around $22 million for three years, would that be enough for the Suns to walk away? Hard to say.
The Suns are in constant rebuilding mode and already have future money tied up in guys like Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Ty Jerome and Jevon Carter. If they decide Saric is not part of their future, they could very well make him the qualifying offer, then let him go if someone offers more.
Saric is 26-years-old and doesn’t really fit the timeline of Devin Booker or Deandre Ayton.
If the Pelicans could get Saric on a below-market deal, then he fits a lot of what they need.
Dario Saric’s Strengths
Saric seems to have lost a bit of his identity after moving teams three times in three years. This shuffle has undoubtedly had some effect on his stats, so the New Orleans Pelicans need to look beyond the numbers.
Saric is a plus 3-point shooter for his size and has hit as high as 39.3 percent in a season. He is averaging 34.1 percent on just 3.7 attempts for the Suns, but Saric can stroke it.
Though he is not overly strong at 6-foot-10, 225 lbs., Saric is a decent rebounder, pulling down 5.9 in just 24.8 minutes per game this season.
Saric is also a decent playmaker at the power forward position, averaging 2.1 assists per game for his career, mostly coming off the bench.
His offensive game is polished and will likely get better as he gets more reps and a more permanent situation.
Dario Saric’s Weaknesses
Saric has lost confidence since his early days in Philly and often does not look like the same player who was ranked as one of the top young players in the game.
He lacks the foot speed to defend a lot of wings, and lacks the strength to get after a lot of NBA power forwards.
Saric does not protect the rim and averages just .2 blocks per game for his career, which is terrible for a power forward.
Saric embodies many of the stereotypes Americans have about foreign-born players, namely that they are soft, can’t play defense and get pushed around by stronger players.
Some of this is definitely true, but as the game continues to shift to the perimeter, guys like Saric will have more value.
He could be a nice fit on the New Orleans Pelicans.
How Saric fits on the New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans do not have a lot of glaring needs, but they will have some holes to fill in the offseason.
Their own restricted free agents are underwhelming, which is why the Pelicans might look outside the organization, especially if they can find a bargain.
With Zion Williamson taking up the lane, the Pelicans will need to find bigs who can stretch the floor and Saric can certainly do that.
Ideally they could find a backup wing who plays defense and shoots 3-pointers, but those are hard to come by and Saric can at least fill one of those roles.
The Pelicans bench was inconsistent this season, especially from long-range, as guys like Nicolo Melli and Josh Hart ran extremely hot and cold.
Saric would provide more consistency as a scorer and give the Pelicans someone in the second unit who can not only make shots but create shots for other players.
Saric is particularly adept at hitting 3-point shots as a trailer in transition, which is something the high-paced Pelicans do a lot of:
Saric could fit in with the Pelicans in much the same way as Danilo Gallinari with the OKC Thunder, who forms a powerful pick-and-roll duo with point guard Chris Paul.
The Pelicans could have a similar weapon with Lonzo Ball or Jrue Holiday running pick-and-roll with Saric.
Saric could be the stretch-four the Pelicans need and if they can steal him away from Phoenix at a bargain, he is worth the risk.