Dario Saric will return to Denver for a second year after opting into his $5.4 million player option for the 2025–26 season.
The decision was reported Friday by NBA insider Marc Stein, who noted that Saric had until June 29 to finalize his choice.
The 31-year-old Croatian signed with the Nuggets on July 12, 2024, bringing frontcourt depth to the defending champions.
He appeared in just 16 games during the 2024–25 regular season, starting four, and averaged 3.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists across 13.1 minutes per game.
Saric shot 36.2 percent from the field and just 26.9 percent from three, struggling to find rhythm in a limited role behind Denver’s primary bigs.
Denver finished fourth in the Western Conference at 50–32, with Saric playing sporadically as head coach Michael Malone leaned heavily on the starting unit.
Saric previously played for the Suns, Timberwolves, and 76ers before joining Denver and has built a reputation as a skilled forward who can stretch the floor and make plays off the bench.
