Philadelphia 76ers: 3 goals for Dario Saric in 2018-19

3. Improve rebounding output

Considering the Sixers led the league in rebounding over the course of the regular season, this may seem a little odd. However, in order to not only maintain this ranking but improve upon it, Saric is going to need to elevate his game in this area.

Overall, Saric ranked equal third on the team in rebounding at 6.7 per game, and seventh on the team at 8.1 per 36 minutes. Despite standing 6’10”, Saric’s lack of athleticism is certainly a factor in the Croatian’s slightly sub-par return on the boards.

Furthermore, it’s the surrounding talent on the Sixers’ roster that contributes to his output. Firstly, there’s center Joel Embiid, who in his first full season in the league ranked ninth at 11.0 boards per game. Then there was the introduction of Ben Simmons, a 6’10” point guard who utilized his nous and athletic gifts to average 8.1 rebounds a night as a rookie.

Additionally, there was the late-season addition of Ersan Ilyasova, who in just 24.1 minutes per game equaled Saric’s output at 6.7 per game.

However, with the departure of Ilyasova this offseason, and with another season in the league under Saric’s belt, the Sixers will be anticipating that he’ll raise his level of output. This isn’t to say he hasn’t demonstrated the ability to crash the boards, having had 15 games of double-digit rebounds last season. On the other hand, he also had 24 games in which he grabbed just five boards or less, thus illustrating the contrasts in his returns.

So as the starting power forward on a potential contender, becoming an effective and consistent performer on the glass should be priority for both Saric and the Sixers moving forward.