Dario Saric Playing for the 76ers Next Year, Philadelphia Hasn't Been This Interesting Since Allen Iverson Left

Dario Saric, the 22-year old Croatian who was the 12th pick in the 2014 draft, is finally coming to America. CSN in Philly (via David Pick) reports Saric will sign with the 76ers Friday and he may have to pay the remainder of his buyout (about $650,000) out of his pocket.

But the real news here is that the 76ers will field an actual team next season, instead of two centers and a bunch of marginal NBA players. The rebuild is officially happening, and the 76ers are not only going to be interesting on the court, but off it as well.

Here’s why: They now have five players 6-foot-10 or taller who were all lottery picks in the last three seasons. Of course, we’re in the small ball era, so there’s no need for a surfeit of centers. At least one of Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel or Joel Embiid (he hasn’t played in two years!) should be traded by the February deadline.

Ben Simmons will run the team, and he’ll need to be surrounded by 3-point shooters. Guess how Saric had been shooting from deep in the Euroleague this season? Just 40 percent on three-pointers.

Here are the 76ers five marquee players, and make sure to note their ages:

Joel Embiid, 7-foot, 22-years old
Nerlens Noel, 6-foot-11, 22-years old
Jahlil Okafor, 6-foot-11, 20-years old
Dario Saric, 6-foot-10, 22-years old
Ben Simmons, 6-foot-10, 19-years old (turns 20 on July 20th)

That’s probably still a 25-30 win team in the East, but the building blocks are there, and it will set up a fun next year for the 76ers when it comes to pursuing trades. A very early look at the depth chart:

C: Okafor/Embiid
PF: Noel/Jerami Grant/Holmes
SF: Simmons/Saric/Covington
SG: Gerald Henderson/Stauskas/Thompson
PG: Jerryd Bayless/McConnell