The Philadelphia 76ers‘ playoff run may have ended last month, but one prominent part of Sam Hinkie’s Process has continued to play on. Namely, big man Dario Saric, a former Sixer who has played a major role off the bench for the Phoenix Suns this season.
When he stepped onto the hardwood during Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals, Saric became the first of Philly’s Process-era picks to vie for the Association’s top prize. It was an incredible turn of events for a group that includes Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz (who was once thought to be a surefire hit at No. 1 overall).
Unfortunately, the 27-year-old’s Finals experience was short-lived; just two minutes and 24 seconds, to be exact.
After suffering what appeared to be a bad injury during the contest, the Suns confirmed the worst on Wednesday afternoon.
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Saric Felled By a Torn ACL
As relayed by the team via Twitter, Saric tore his right ACL during his Finals debut. He will be out indefinitely for Phoenix.
The injury occurred late in the first quarter of the game when Saric attempted to drive with the basketball while being checked by Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez. Along the way, the Croatian floor stretcher’s knee appeared to buckle beneath him as he attempted to plant his feet in the paint.
He was subsequently removed from the game with 1:43 still left to play in the opening period and was helped off the court and into the Suns’ locker room. Saric’s final line — no points, a missed shot and one offensive board in less than three minutes of action.
“It’s just one of those situations that literally breaks your heart,” Suns coach Monty Williams opined, via ESPN.
Williams further noted his personal history with the near seven-footer and praised him as both a person and a basketball player.
“Dario is a guy that I’ve been with twice,” he said. “I coached him in Philly, and to get a chance to be with him here, he’s what Suns basketball is about. Hard worker, unbelievable guy and he was so looking forward to playing in these Finals.
“To play a few minutes and have that kind of injury, it was a tough thing to hear this morning.”
Saric’s Philly Run at a Glance
Before he made his way to the Suns (via the Minnesota Timberwolves), Saric was a draft-and-stash pick-up by Hinkie and the Sixers through a trade with the Orlando Magic in 2014. Although he had signed a deal with the Turkish club Anadolu Efes days before the draft, he was still a lottery pick at No. 12 overall.
Two years later, he would finally debut for the Sixers during the 2016-17 campaign. He didn’t disappoint, either.
During his first year in Philly, he joined his teammate Embiid as an All-Rookie First Team pick. In 81 games that season, Saric averaged 12.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest. He also connected on 31.1% of his triples, a number that would jump significantly in year two.
In 2017-18, Saric was a full-time starter and a near 15-point scorer. His three-point percentage of 39.3 put him in a group with the league’s elite, floor-spacing big men. However, midway through his third season, Saric was dealt to Minnesota in the Jimmy Butler trade.
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Former Sixers Big Man, Process Pick Knocked Out of NBA Finals