Philadelphia 76ers' Rebuild Can Get Huge Push from International Secret Weapon

In the midst of Nerlens Noel’s spring awakening, it’s been easy to forget the Philadelphia 76ers have a pipeline of talent that extends overseas. 

As Noel posts historic defensive numbers for a rookie and Joel Embiid flashes his tantalizing talent in pregame warmups, Dario Saric—the Sixers' combo forward of the future—is waiting in the wings abroad. 

Acquired along with a 2015 second-round pick and 2017 first-round pick via a draft-day trade with the Orlando Magic for Elfrid Payton, Saric, 20, projects as one of the most gifted offensive players in his class upon arrival. That is, assuming he makes the trip stateside sometime soon.

When he was selected, the Sixers were well aware that Saric had committed to playing for Turkish side Anadolu Efes for a minimum of two years. Based on the contractual structure reported by ESPN.com's Chad Ford last summer, Saric is inked for two years with an opt-out clause giving him free reign to join Philadelphia for the 2016-17 season. 

Games	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	FG%	3P%
21	15.0	8.3	3.3	1.2	45.7	28.9

Patience has generally defined the Sixers' lengthy rebuild, so waiting another year to watch him coexist with Noel, Embiid and a host of 2015 draft picks (up to four, depending on how pick protections shake out) isn't a deviation from the norm. 

But with Noel ascending up his developmental parabola at a surprisingly quick clip, it's only natural for Sixers fans to pine for Saric's arrival sooner rather than later. 

Unfortunately for the optimists lingering at the corner of Broad and Pattison, hopes of an early buyout are dwindling, according to an October report from NJ.com's Eliot Shorr-Parks:

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Although there are rumblings that the buyout in Saric's deal is $600,000 after next season, a source told NJ Advance Media that there is no buyout. One person familiar with how these kind of deals have worked in the past expected that any deal struck outside of the contract with Anadolu Efes right now would likely cost "easily over a million dollars."

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"Longest that I stay in Europe is two years," Saric said prior to June's draft, according to NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper. "After that, team who chooses me, I will come, I will fight for position, for first five, to be one of the best players."

That's unfortunate, but it shouldn't be considered a setback by any means.

Besides, with a top-10 defense, the Sixers' vision is starting to come into view. That's more than anyone could have thought this team would accomplish when it started the season 0-17.

"For the first time since general manager Sam Hinkie started getting his hands dirty, there's a light at the end of a tunnel in the form of a real defensive foundation—a silver lining that suggests the Sixers will inevitably be just fine," Bleacher Report's Dan Favale wrote. 

David Dow/Getty Images

Where they desperately need help is on offense—the end on which Saric figures to earn his stripes. Entering the final month of the season, Philadelphia's sub-93.0 offensive rating has the Sixers operating as the NBA's efficiency caboose. 

As Saric's play overseas has indicated, he can help bump that rating up thanks to a versatile skill set that allows him to spot up and shoot threes, penetrate, dish and knock down pull-up jumpers from mid-range.

Essentially, he's an offensive Swiss army knife, which is why head coach Brett Brown didn't hesitate to compare him to San Antonio Spurs all-in-one weapon Boris Diaw, according to Road to the Association: 

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From a skills perspective, he’s got the ability to pass, he sees the floor so well, he’s got the ability to rebound and lead the break himself as a point forward, like some of the great point forwards. I’ve had the opportunity to coach Boris Diaw for many years in my 12 years with the Spurs. There’s some similarities that I see in Boris and Dario. But all of those things add up to a pretty special player at age 20.

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With a comparison like that, it's no wonder Saric was recently named the FIBA European Young Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. Jonas Valanciunas and Ricky Rubio are the only players to capture that coveted hardware multiple times. 

As the following highlights from a December showdown with Real Madrid exemplify, Saric (11 points, eight assists, five rebounds) is a marvelous passer for his size. He's seemingly always looking to make the extra—and right—pass to free up his teammates for clean looks in the half-court, and that mentality translates to his distributive capabilities in transition. 

While Saric may be billed as a floor-stretcher, he's not that sort of standstill, plodding presence. Rather, Saric's athletic profile will make him the perfect fit in Brown's uptempo, run-and-gun show that prioritizes decisive movement to open up clean looks from three and in the paint. 

Saric's status as the team's secret weapon also hinges on his ability to play multiple positions. As Brown mentioned—and the tape displays—Saric is a modern-day point forward. That's terrific news for the Sixers, who are starved for skillfully diversified wings and characterized by uncertainty beyond Embiid and Noel.

Not only does the 6'10'' Saric figure to be a physical mismatch for prototypical small forwards, but his speed will give him an edge should Brown choose to align him at the 4 next to Noel or Embiid.

"He can do a lot on the court and I am ecstatic about getting him over here," Noel said, according to CSNPhilly.com's Dei Lynam. "He is going to take his time, but in time, the time will be right."

Embiid is also ecstatic about what Saric has to offer after watching him average 11.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals while shooting 50 percent from the field during the 2014 FIBA World Cup:

Combine Saric's crafty handle with a steady jumper and excellent understanding of floor balance, and it's not hard to see why the Sixers' young building blocks are itching to get the Croatian swingman acclimated to the NBA.  

Fiscal and contractual stipulations may prevent Saric from helping Philadelphia expedite its rebuild next season, but the future will hold promise so long as he makes his domestic debut in the fall of 2016. 

All statistics are current as of April 1 and courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com, unless noted otherwise.