Dario Saric
Grade: C
Stats: 10.1 points, 5.9 rebounds per game
Ole Dario. This feels like a tough grade for a guy who plays his heart out, and to be fair, his individual numbers weren’t far off from his career average, but you can’t help but watch Saric and feel just…meh.
Objectively, I’m not sure why that is. Maybe it is because he can’t jump and looks a bit awkward at times out on the court. I’m not really sure. But even though he was kind of what we expected him to be this season, Dario scored fewer points per game this season than any other in his four-year career. Barely, but still, less.
While Dario started 50 out of the 58 games he played in, he rarely finished a game as he was often replaced in the lineup by Mikal Bridges in the 4th quarter.
There were some very good games he had, perhaps none more super than his performance on Super Mario Day, but when James Jones traded down in the draft for his rights, I can’t help but think he was expecting a little bit more.
Saric is another one of those players who may have played their last game with the Suns. Letting him walk would give the Suns cap space to bring in a free agent that would help them make the playoffs next season, and from what I’ve seen thus far, that free agent is likely not named Dario Saric.