31-Year-Old Forward Traded to the Sacramento Kings
This past NBA season, the Denver Nuggets had high hopes that they would make it all the way back to the NBA Finals and compete for another championship. Denver ultimately fell in the Western Conference Semifinals to the eventual 2025 NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games. With a championship-caliber squad, 31-year-old power forward Dario Šarić has been trying to soak in all the experience as possible. However, Šarić possibly had his worst NBA season as he played in just 16 games and suffered career lows across all stat lines. Today, it was announced by Shams Charania that Šarić has been traded to the Sacramento Kings for Jonas Valančiūnas.
During the 2016 off-season, Šarić signed a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. In his third NBA game, he was able to record 21 points during a 103-101 loss to the Orlando Magic. After the end of his rookie season, the 31-year-old power forward was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting behind Malcolm Brogdon. After three seasons in Philadelphia, the Sixers traded Šarić and two other Sixers to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a package that surrounded Jimmy Butler. With the T-Wolves, Šarić was unhappy with his role on the bench and preferred to start. Yet he did not see much time as a starter at all with Minnesota. A year later, the 31-year-old power forward was traded on draft night to the Phoenix Suns. He played three and a half seasons in Phoenix before once again being traded, this time to the Oklahoma City Thunder. During the 2023 off-season, the Golden State Warriors signed Šarić to a one-year deal. A year later, he signed with the Nuggets.
Šarić played 16 games with the Denver Nuggets and started in four games this past season. In 13 minutes a game, he averaged about four points, three rebounds, and an assist. His best game of the season came on November 17th. During a 105-90 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Šarić recorded 10 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and two steals. The 31-year-old power forward hopes to make an epic bounceback this upcoming season with the Kings.
