NBA rumors: Warriors make underrated last-second free agent signing

The latest NBA rumors indicate that the Warriors have made one of the last big free agency signings available.

Eight days into July, there really aren’t many game-changing moves left to be made when building an NBA roster. The draft is well in the rearview and NBA free agency is nearly a week old. The hottest commodities are off the market, having agreed to deals that will last them in 2023 and beyond. The Golden State Warriors, though, might have just found a diamond in the rough that is leftover free agency.

In the latest NBA rumors, Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Warriors have agreed with Dario Saric on a one-year deal that brings him to Golden State after spending the last few years competing with the Phoenix Suns.

Saric was traded mid-season last year to the OKC Thunder.

Warriors add more NBA Finals experience with Dario Saric

Though Saric has been unable to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy just yet, he has played for a Finals-appearing team with the Suns in 2021. Unfortunately, Saric was ruled out in Game 1 the year Phoenix lost to the Milwaukee Bucks with a torn ACL in Game 1, but he did play a crucial part in the run-up to that series with 144 minutes in the three series prior to that.

Saric shot 44.4 percent from the 3-point line that year in the postseason and 46.7 percent from the field, averaging 4.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game. His size and ability to shoot are sought-after attributes.

He’s not an offensive juggernaut, but he’s a great big for small ball situations that should be able to give Draymond Green needed rest. He principally doesn’t solve a size deficiency for the Warriors, who appear to be leaning further and further into the small ball scheme.

Saric has been in the league since 2016 after being drafted in 2014. A Sam Hinkie acquisition for the Sixers, Saric spent a few years playing overseas in Europe as a draft-and-stash player for Philadelphia.

At this point, the financials of the deal with Golden State have not been reported, but given the limitations the Warriors have, it’s reasonable to expect it may be a veteran minimum. Previously, it was reported by Marc Stein that Golden State was going to be a last-minute deal for Saric if no one else could get him anything better.