The NBA Trade Deadline is just a few weeks away and league sources have indicated the Golden State Warriors would be open to moving Dario Saric before February 8th. Moving Saric's $2.7 million contract for luxury tax savings and a few future assets would be a sign of the Warriors readjusting expectations for this season while hoping to extend a championship window around Steph Curry's remaining years.
The 29-year-old big man is on one of the league's most team-friendly deals and his approximately $2 million contract expires this summer. The 6'10” Croatian's ability to space the floor, keep offense flowing and fight hard on the glass would be a welcome addition to any title-contending team. Saric is averaging 10.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in just over 20 minutes per game.
The Warriors are currently 12th in the Western Conference, two games back of the final spot in the play-in tournament. A Saric deal potentially saves Golden State millions on the luxury tax bill as well. Do not discount those dollars when looking for a team willing to sell at the deadline. If the Warriors are not in a position to win a postseason game, they will have plenty of reasons to sell their stake in Saric. The next three years matter far more than the next three months, as one league source stressed.
Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins are also reportedly on the trade block, but neither would bring back much draft capital. Kuminga is still a work in progress and Wiggins is owed approximately $85 million over the next three seasons. Per one source, the expected return for Saric is draft assets and perhaps a cheap minimum-level player with an extra year of team control on the contract. The source said the financial implications cannot be understated, but the team does intend to maximize Curry's chances at a sixth NBA title.
Dario Saric isn't long for Golden State regardless of trade deadline
Saric has been a rare bright spot in Golden State this season, far out-playing the minimum contract he signed with the team in free agency. Lauding the veteran big man's impact earlier this season amid Draymond Green's indefinite suspension, Warriors coach Steve Kerr readily admitted Saric would be due a sizable raise in free agency this summer, alluding to realities of his team's financial constraints both now and going forward.
Golden State will only have non-Bird Rights on Saric if he's retained into the offseason, limited to offering him a salary up to 120% of his earnings this season because the team is over the salary cap. Like Donte DiVincenzo before him, Saric was always bound to be a one-season rental for the cash-strapped Warriors, getting back on the open market after rehabbing his value while helping a contender.
The Dubs haven't lived up to those expectations, obviously, but don't blame Saric. He's been everything and more Golden State could realistically expect from a reserve big playing on a minimum contract, shooting a career-best 39.1% from deep on career-high volume while functioning as a screening and dribble hand-off hub in Kerr's motion-heavy offense. Saric has been an opportunistic, crafty driver, too, regularly beating surprised opposing bigs off the bounce, and consistently thrown his weight around on the offensive glass.
Defense remains an issue for Saric, who's stuck between positions on that side of the ball. He lacks the length and lift to be an effective rim deterrent, but isn't close to quick enough laterally to keep up with most forwards let alone switch onto dynamic guards without getting roasted. While Saric would certainly be an offensive upgrade off the bench for many contenders, it's clear by now he needs to be protected defensively.
A willingness to move Saric suggests Golden State knows it's not going anywhere meaningful in 2023-24, content to re-shuffle the deck around Curry this summer rather than go for broke at the trade deadline. The recent emergence of athletic yet undersized rookie big man Trayce Jackson-Davis makes Saric more expendable for the Warriors, and shipping him out for luxury tax savings and low draft compensation would also open up additional playing time for Kuminga in the frontcourt.
Keep your ear to the ground for Saric rumors leading up to February 8th. He wouldn't only be a valuable third or fourth big man for a contender, but a Saric trade would also go a long way toward informing the rest of the league about the Warriors' plans to sell or mostly stand pat as the trade deadline dawns.
ClutchPoints' Warriors beat writer Jack Winter contributed to this report.
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