LAS VEGAS _ The Dario Saric era with the 76ers has begun.
The Croatian power forward's plane arrived at the Philadelphia International Airport about 5 p.m. Thursday. He was expected to sign his contract on Thursday night or Friday, search for a place to stay in the area, and head right back to his native country.
The Sixers will pay $650,000 of the reported $1 million buyout fee to help Saric get out of the final year of his three-year contract with Anadolu Efes of the Turkish Basketball League. He has to pay the balance.
The 6-foot-10 Saric would have benefited more from a financial standpoint if he remained overseas for one more season. A league source said he believes Saric would receive about $6 million a season if he waited until next year. By coming now, Saric is tied to the NBA's rookie scale and will make a little more than $10.4 million over his four-year rookie deal.
But Saric told reporters upon his arrival Thursday that he couldn't care less about pitching in for his buyout and losing money.
"I promised that after two years I would come here," Saric told reporters at the airport. "I'm very happy that I'm here because I will join with this team. I will try to make (this town) happy."
He apparently has.
There were some Sixers fans awaiting his arrival outside the airport. There was also a large media contingent there. And social media has been abuzz with Saric Mania after he revealed last week that he would play for the Sixers this season.
Saric was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the 12th overall pick in 2014 and immediately traded to the Sixers. However, he signed a three-year contract with the Turkish team in the week leading up to the NBA draft and remained overseas.
"Of course after my NBA draft in 2014, this is my first time here," Saric said. "I'm happy with that promise.
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