Warriors land coveted forward Dario Saric to one-year deal, per reports

The Golden State Warriors signed forward Dario Saric to the veteran minimum contract, according to reports. That checks off a prioritized box for general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. in his first foray into NBA free agency as the Warriors’ general manager.

Saric, 29, is a 6-foot-10 stretch forward who fits perfectly in head coach Steve Kerr’s scheme. In his 10 hear career, Saric has proven to be a big that can move the ball in a motion offense and pose a legitimate threat as a 3-point shooter.

There were rumors that Saric had his eye on joining the Miami Heat should they land Damian Lillard in a trade, but his seamless fit is likely a reason that Saric agreed to terms on a veteran minimum — which, based on his 10 years of experience, should slot him in at approximately $3.1 million for the season.

“All we’re going to be able to have is minimums, so we have to work with that,” Dunleavy said on draft night. “We’re looking at veteran players who can fit into our rotation. Shooting is always a premium, two-way play is always a premium and it’s obvious we need to add size and skill, specifically shooting, I think would go a long way in complementing our frontcourt.”

The Phoenix Suns traded Saric last season to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a mid-season swap for Darius Bazley. Saric helped lead a blossoming, younger Thunder team to a play-in appearance as the 10th seed in which they beat the New Orleans Pelicans in their first game and were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second.

The Suns moved on from Saric because he isn’t a traditional rim protecting big. But the Warriors aren’t looking for tradition, but more a scoring threat in the front court. That weakness became apparent as they were  smothered by length last season — particularly against Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinal elimination. Saric averaged 6.4 points per game shooting 39% from 3 on an average two attempts per game and averaged 9.3 rebounds per 36 minutes.

Those numbers are similar to Otto Porter Jr.’s key contributions as a stretch big to the Warriors in their 2021-22 championship run.

Saric had an ACL injury that cost him the entire 2020-2021 season.

Saric’s addition to the team comes on the heels of Draymond Green signing a four-year, $100 million deal with a fourth-year player option and weeks after Dunleavy and Co. swapped 24-year-old Jordan Poole and two second-year players for 38-year-old point guard Chris Paul and a minimum contract with another back-up point guard Cory Joseph. The Warriors now have 13 of their 15 roster spots filled. Their moves signal the Warriors going all in on their championship window by leaning on veteran experience over youth.