Dario Saric activates $5.4M player option for 2025-26 season with Nuggets

Dario Saric’s contract has aged poorly for the Denver Nuggets thus far, and now the organization — and its fanbase — must live with the consequences for at least one more season.

According to Marc Stein’s reporting (subscription), Saric plans to exercise his $5.4 million player option for next season, turning down what could have been a lucrative return to European basketball. The decision comes despite reports out of Europe that multiple clubs, including Dubai Basketball and Fenerbahce, have courted Saric to return overseas next season.

For a player who managed just 210 minutes across 16 games in his inaugural Denver campaign, the choice to stay speaks volumes about either his commitment to the NBA or his confidence in securing a better deal elsewhere. Neither scenario inspires much confidence for the Nuggets faithful.

The TPMLE Disaster That Keeps on Giving

When former GM Calvin Booth inked Saric to a two-year, $10.6 million deal using the taxpayer mid-level exception last summer, the logic seemed sound on paper. The Croatian forward had shown flashes of versatility throughout his NBA and international career, posting respectable numbers in Phoenix and Philadelphia. His combination of size, shooting touch, and basketball IQ appeared tailor-made for a backup role behind Nikola Jokic.

But reality painted a different picture.

Saric has played in just 16 of the Nuggets’ 82 games this regular season, despite being listed as healthy for the entire campaign. Those limited minutes translated to modest averages of 3.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game — production that might not even justify a veteran minimum contract, let alone the TPMLE.

The numbers tell only part of the story. Saric’s struggles were, at least in part, systemic. The small-ball center option that many envisioned and the spacing he was supposed to provide a bench unit alongside Russell Westbrook never materialized. Instead, Michael Malone’s rotation tightened around other options, leaving Saric collecting splinters on the bench.

The Financial Implications

Saric's decision to opt in obviously impacts Denver’s salary cap structure. Without his contract, the Nuggets would be just below the first apron for next season, projected to be $195.9 million. With his contract (and Julian Strawther’s team option), the team has just over $196 million tied up in salary.

Being above the first apron triggers a cascade of roster-building restrictions that hamstring the franchise’s ability to improve around a prime Jokic. The Nuggets cannot acquire players through sign-and-trade deals, cannot sign players who have been waived during the regular season (if those players’ salaries were above the mid-level exception), and encounter stricter salary-matching guidelines. For a team that already operates with limited financial flexibility, Saric's $5.4 million forces the front office to get even more creative concerning roster improvements.

Denver’s championship window remains wide open with Jokic in his prime, but maximizing that opportunity requires clever precision in roster construction. Every dollar matters when you’re trying to build a contender around a generational talent like Joker.

Can David Adelman Unlock Saric’s Potential?

The coaching change from Michael Malone to David Adelman represents perhaps the most significant variable in Saric’s redemption story. Adelman was named interim head coach of the Nuggets after Malone was fired, and the Denver Nuggets named him their head coach after taking over on the precipice of the playoffs and led the squad into the second round.

Adelman’s approach might unlock something in Saric that Malone couldn’t tap into. The new coach has already demonstrated a willingness to shake up rotations, given the Russ vs. Mike conundrum. Even with the Nuggets’ thin bench and injury-hampered starting five during the OKC series, Saric did not see the court, highlighting the need for reliable depth pieces.

I did this same exercise last year, but I believe Saric’s court vision, passing ability, and outside shot could translate under a coach willing to deploy him in different ways. The question remains whether Adelman can find the right context to utilize the Croatian’s talents.

Cautious Optimism for Next Season

Saric’s decision to opt in creates opportunity and obligation. The opportunity lies in a fresh start under new coaching and reduced expectations. The obligation falls on both the player and the organization to extract value from what has been an expensive experiment to this point.

For Nuggets fans, the calculus is straightforward: If Saric can provide even modest production — say, 15 minutes per game of competent basketball — his contract becomes palatable. If he continues his miserable stint in the Mile High, it represents another costly miscalculation in an organization that can’t afford many more.

Here’s to hoping Saric can turn things around in 2025-26.