September 7, 2018

[...] Beyond that pairing in the backcourt lies some shooting depth with Della Valle, whose shot was anomalously off last season yet who has turned in a decade now of heady off-ball movement and quick shooting off the catch, and Dairis Bertans, who has been doing much the same for even longer. Curtis Jerrells and Andrea Cinciarini return as ball handling depth (as can Bertans if needs be), with Cinciarini's slow-footed surety as a playmaker and leader ever reliable in times of need, while Jerrells is similarly always good for some spot-ups, step-backs and pick-and-roll plays. Roster balance and multi-positional defence may be concerns going forward, but the backcourt is a strong one. [...]

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July 6, 2014

Dairis Bertans - Davis's brother is smaller at 6'4, older at 24, and is a slightly undersized (for the NBA) shooting guard instead of a forward. He is something of a classic Eastern European guard, a pick-and-roll role player who runs around a lot but doesn't leap, who defends by rotating and fouling (they're told to) rather than being able to lock anyone up, and who shoots well without being exceptional at it. Save for his occasional secondary ball handling and pick and roll action. Bertans only really contributes as a scorer, prepared to go into the trees off a screen with a decent change of speed but struggling against size while in there, and even more prepared to pull up for a jumper or catch and shoot from long range, whilst taking a few more than he should in the process. It might translate to the NBA if he was bigger, but it's not going to at a grounded 6'4.

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