As the Kings picked up another tough preseason loss, fans look for the silver lining in a cloud that is only getting darker. Possibly the most surprising positive to come out of that contest was Dario Saric, who absolutely lit up the three-point line.
It was a tough outing for the Kings. Once again, the majority of the starters had weak performances, including Dennis Schroder, whose gameplay and leadership as a point guard have been largely absent from the preseason. Zach LaVine has proven to be the most consistent of the starters.
The strongest signs of life have come from the bench and the rookies, many of whom have put in stellar performances throughout the preseason. But the most unexpected source of positivity came from Dario Saric, who shot four for four from three last night.
The Dario Saric trade
During the summer, the Kings made a straight-up trade with the Nuggets that sent Jonas Valanciunas to Denver. In the months since, that move has been repeatedly questioned by the media and fans. Valanciunas is generally regarded as one of the best backup centers in the league.
Dario Saric is not. The trade that sent Jonas to Denver also brought Saric to Sacramento. It was a confusing, one-sided move that really didn't seem to benefit the Kings. Saric is a perfectly fine player, but not a solid replacement for Valanciunas.
He's been in the league since 2016 and hasn't had what you would call a standout career. Saric has dealt with a few injuries and has bounced around the league a bit. During that time, his minutes have consistently decreased, as have his stats. As such, the trade didn't make much sense.
Saric steps up for the Kings
Dario made a big move towards changing people's minds against the Blazers. He played 13:40 minutes, putting away four three-pointers and two free throws for a total of 14 points. Shooting 100% from both lines, he only missed one field goal all night.
Beyond that, Saric didn't contribute much else. He had no assists, no rebounds, no steals, and no blocks. To be fair, no one was expecting him to pick up a steal. Being that Dario is a center, a rebound or a block wouldn't have been out of the question.
If Dario can shoot with this kind of consistency while improving in areas such as rebounding and defense, he could become a reliable backup center for Sabonis. Considering how the Kings' season is looking so far, that would be a huge win.