CSKA gets big with Darjus Lavrinovic

A former All-Euroleague big man has found a new home as CSKA Moscow on Thursday announced the signing of center Darjus Lavrinovic for the next two seasons. Lavrinovic (2.12 meters, 31 years old) arrives from Fenerbahce Ulker, where he played one season and won the Turkish League title earlier this month. With FB Ulker, Lavrinovic posted 8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1 block in 22 minutes on average over 16 games last season in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague. Lavrinovic was the only player to start in all 16 of FB Ulker's games in the competition last season. FB Ulker was Lavrinovic's third Euroleague team since he debuted with Zalgiris in 2003 and stayed for three seasons, making the All-Euroleague second team in 2006, after posting 14.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He was also the Euroleague's blocked shot leader that season, with 2.7 rejections on average. His twin, Ksistof, later made the All-Euroleague team as well, marking the first time that two brothers have been so honored. After Zalgiris, Darjus Lavrinovic played in Russia three seasons for Unics Kazan and Dynamo Moscow, going as far as the semifinals in the Eurocup his first year. He resumed his Euroleague career with Real Madrid in 2009-10, which he finished ranking third, right behind Ksistof, in per-minute performance index rating thanks in part to his 11.1 points per game and solid shooting percentages. With just five Euroleague seasons behind him, Lavrinovic has blocked the 10th-most shots since 200 (96) with the seventh-best per-game average, 1.33 blocks.