It's no secret why the Golden State Warriors made Dario Saric such a high priority on the minimum-contract market in free agency this summer.
The veteran big man is one of the most skilled interior players in basketball, boasting the court sense of a guard with innate playmaking prowess and the ability to stretch the floor to the arc. Golden State lacked those attributes up front last season, absent a viable big off the bench who could throw the opposition an offensive curveball when Draymond Green or Kevon Looney were resting or played off the floor.
Saric, of course, fills that void completely. While best utilized as a center at this point of his career, his skill with the ball will even allow the Warriors to play him at de facto power forward next to Looney in a pinch.
Why Warriors are ‘best team' for Dario Saric
After Wednesday's practice, Steve Kerr called the Croatian star a “perfect fit” for Golden State's offense. Saric, obviously, agrees with his new coach, calling the Warriors the “best team” for his skill set given their unique approach on that side of the ball.
“For me, obviously I played against the Golden State Warriors a couple times in my eight years in the league and I see how they play. Of course, they always run deep in the playoffs, so you got the time to kinda watch them and experience that,” he told ClutchPoints on Wednesday. “Obviously during the summer I was watching some highlights, some games, how they play, and I think maybe this is the best team for me to fit in. What I think I’m doing right now, I think I’m doing great kind of trying to fit that. I really like that kind of basketball. When you have five guys who are dangerous in every moment to score the ball, it gets easier for other guys.”
Šarić shares why he was drawn to the Warriors in free agency pic.twitter.com/98rAxPTOeR
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 11, 2023
Playing without the ball and reading and reacting to teammates and defenses have been hallmarks of Saric's game since he entered the league in 2016. His seamless integration to the Dubs' offensive style was on full display during last weekend's preseason opener, when Saric drained a pair of catch-and-shoot triples and doled out three assists in just over 14 minutes of play.
Don't expect the 29-year-old to be quite that efficient with his production across the 82-game grind and into the playoffs this season. Given his natural acclimation to Golden State less than two since since training camp tipped off, though, Saric seems poised to impact winning with the revamped Warriors on a consistent, high-level basis regardless.
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