After communicating through WhatsApp, Sixers head coach Brett Brown will have face-to-face conversations with Dario Saric.
Brown and president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo have traveled overseas to meet with Saric, league sources tell CSNPhilly.com's John Gonzalez.
The 2014 lottery pick has been playing internationally since the Sixers acquired him two years ago on draft night.
Saric's decision to stay in Europe or come to the NBA is a key factor in how the Sixers shape their roster next season. Brown has said he plans to use the 6-foot-9 Saric as a versatile "four-three, three-four."
The Sixers, who hold this year's No. 1 pick, already are stacked with bigs and the projected top draft prospects are forwards. This makes Saric's choice even more significant, as it could impact how the Sixers approach trades and free agency.
Should Saric stay in Europe for the 2016-17 season, he would no longer be in the rookie salary scale if he comes to the NBA after that.
This season, the Sixers sent player development assistant Chris Babcock to Istanbul for more than a week to monitor Saric's workouts and spend time with him. Brown also had planned to visit earlier and was advised to wait because of international conditions. Instead, Brown has been using WhatsApp to correspond with Saric.
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“If there’s ever such a thing as getting all fired up reading a WhatsApp three-word text, it is with him,” Brown said at the end of the season.
Saric averaged 11.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists for Anadolu Efes in Istanbul this season. He shot 50.0 percent from the field and 40.3 percent from three.