The Golden State Warriors have showed a level of interest in Davis Bertans this offseason, bringing the 6'10" sharpshooter in for workouts less than a month until training camp starts.
However, it appears Bertans won't be preparing for next season with the Warriors, as his agent Arturs Kalnitis had previously outlined earlier in the week. Instead Bertans will reportedly follow a similar route to Bruno Caboclo who Golden State had also held workouts with following an impressive Olympic campaign.
The Brazilian big man chose to sign a guaranteed deal overseas in Israel, rather than risk an NBA comeback that may never have materialized. So too is Bertans looking for a more solidified future, with the 31-year-old close to joining Dubai BC, according to Vasiliki Karamouza of Sport24 on Friday.
The Golden State Warriors search for more front court shooting will continue with reports Davis Bertans is headed overseas
The Latvian has played eight-straight years in the NBA but has seen his playing opportunity limited in recent seasons despite being on a five-year, $80 million contract. Bertans averaged 15.7 minutes across 43 games with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets last season, averaging 6.7 points on 38% three-point shooting.
Bertans best season came with the Washington Wizards in 2019-20, yet defensive concerns and a lack of versatility has limited his value at the NBA level. Even still, his combination of size and shooting was an intriguing combination for a Golden State front court that desperately lacks perimeter spacing right now.
The Warriors tried but failed to get Paul George and Lauri Markkanen via trade, leaving Kyle Anderson as their only major front court addition this offseason. The veteran forward is a versatile and valuable rotation player, but his shooting is one major weakness after making just 22.9% of his attempts with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season.
Golden State did draft seven-foot stretch big Quinten Post with the 52nd overall pick, yet the 24-year-old is clearly an unknown quantity at the professional level and the expectations should be reflected as such.
Along with Caboclo and Bertans, the Warriors have also reportedly held workouts with former first-round pick Troy Brown Jr. despite the team's plethora of wings currently on the roster.