Saric ruptured his right ACL in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals on July 6, 2021, and hasn't played since. Nearly 10 months into his rehabilitation, he went back under the knife to repair the meniscus in his right knee while the Suns were beginning their second-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks.
Before his knee injury, Saric was a trusted backup big man for Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams, having also played for him in Philadelphia when Williams was a 76ers assistant. In the COVID-19-shortened 2020-21 season, Saric averaged 8.7 points on 44.7% shooting (34.8% from 3) and 3.8 rebounds in 50 games for the Suns.
The Suns have cycled through a wave of big men since Saric was injured, with JaVale McGee, Frank Kaminsky, Jalen Smith, Bismack Biyombo and Ish Wainright all getting a look. With McGee signing with Dallas as a free agent, Phoenix traded for another center, Jock Landale, who averaged 4.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per game for the San Antonio Spurs last season. Phoenix followed up its trip to the Finals with a disappointing playoff exit, punctuated by a disastrous Game 7 loss at home to Dallas.
There's a soft market for big men in today's NBA. While Saric's passing and shooting ability separate him some from the rest of the crowd, it remains to be seen if Phoenix will wait out his rehab process in hopes of getting him back in the mix with the departures of McGee, Kaminsky and Smith.
