Ben Saraf’s introduction to the NBA was a harsh reality check that swiftly forced him out of the starting lineup and into a marginalized bench role. The rookie looked completely overwhelmed early on, hitting rock bottom on 10/29 vs ATL when he went scoreless in 12 minutes and posted a disastrous -24.4 Impact score. His negative influence throughout this opening stretch stemmed heavily from atrocious shot selection, frequently forcing up contested bricks that fueled opponent transition attacks. Even when he stuffed the stat sheet, hidden costs dragged him down. Despite tallying 10 points and seven assists on 11/30 vs MIL, he still registered a -4.2 Impact score because his raw production was hollowed out by costly turnovers and stalled offensive possessions. He managed a rare bright spot on 12/05 vs UTA, scratching out a +0.8 Impact score by pairing his 12 points with active hustle and engaged off-ball defense. Ultimately, unless Saraf stops tossing up empty possessions, his NBA minutes will continue to evaporate.

This brutal fifteen-game stretch was defined by a crippling inability to score efficiently. During the 01/30 vs UTA matchup, Saraf chucked his way to a miserable 1-for-6 shooting night. That poor shot selection resulted in a bleak -9.9 Impact score. Things hit rock bottom on 03/03 vs MIA, where his empty minutes and poor half-court orchestration dragged him to a staggering -16.9 Impact despite managing 6 points. Even when the counting stats looked respectable, like his 10-point, 4-assist outing on 03/12 vs ATL, the hidden costs of poor defensive effort and stagnant execution yielded a harsh -14.3 Impact. That Atlanta game marked his first start, but playing 31 minutes only magnified his current flaws. He is simply bleeding value right now.