Dario Saric eyes EuroLeague return after 10-year NBA career comes to an end

After nearly 10 seasons in the NBA, Dario Saric (2.08m, 31 years old) is ready for a new chapter. The Croatian forward is currently without a contract following his release from the Detroit Pistons on February 8th, and he’s made it clear where his future lies.

« Currently, my main objective is to return to EuroLeague, and to find a team and a system that will suit me, and that will allow me to readjust to European basketball, » Saric explained during a press conference while rejoining Croatia’s national team for the international window.

A decorated NBA journey comes full circle

Drafted 12th overall in 2016 and named to the All-Rookie Team, Saric’s NBA career spanned seven franchises. He made his biggest impact with the Philadelphia Sixers (172 games) and Phoenix Suns (153 games), but his final two seasons saw sporadic playing time as he bounced between Denver, Sacramento, Chicago, and Detroit.

The Pistons acquired him at the trade deadline only to waive him days later, leaving Saric just two appearances short of 500 career NBA games (498). With no NBA team showing interest since February, the forward has definitively turned the page on his American basketball chapter.

After a nine-year stint in the NBA, Dario Saric is targeting a return to the EuroLeague 🙌

More about it: https://t.co/ipWwqZkWRQ pic.twitter.com/MtMIEilL4r

— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) February 24, 2026

« It’s certain that I expect to play in EuroLeague. Whether it will be at the end of this season or next, the doors remain open, » Saric stated. With the EuroLeague roster deadline set for Wednesday, February 25th, a mid-season move appears unlikely, but he could join a team to play domestic competition while preparing for next season’s EuroLeague campaign.

European basketball awaits a proven talent

Saric acknowledges he’ll need time to readjust to European basketball, having last played in Europe during the 2015-2016 season with Anadolu Efes. During that campaign, he averaged nearly 12 points and 6 rebounds while shooting 40% from 3-points in EuroLeague at just 21 years old – the performance that earned him his high draft position.

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At 31, Saric remains in his prime and figures to be a highly coveted free agent. His combination of size, shooting ability, and basketball IQ makes him an ideal fit for EuroLeague contenders with championship aspirations. Given his likely salary demands, the three French EuroLeague clubs may find themselves priced out of negotiations.

The veteran forward’s return to European basketball represents a homecoming for a player who began his professional career with Cibona Zagreb and even appeared in four EuroLeague games with Zagreb CO at just 17 years old.