Why hasn't there been much discussion about Pekovic?

[TheDude]

Hello again, I haven't posted in many years (divorce, moving, single life, new girlfriend, moving) but I'm back. I have been lurking for a month and checked in periodically before that. Same old characters seem to be here, good stuff.

I see a lot of discussion recently about backup options for if WHEN Dwight Howard decides to go elsewhere, including tanking. However I don't see Pekovic brought into the discussion. I think putting him at center, moving Horford to PF (which will increase his productivity I believe as he won't have to bang against centers as much and of course he's a true PF), and developing our two drafted center prospects (while they learn Bud's system) is a good plan for the paint. I think this would also follow the Spurs model a bit.

They seem to like him a bit-

http://www.minnpost.com/sports/2013/04/don-t-break-wolves-exhibit-b-nikola-pekovic

Side note 1- I'd take a venture at signing Earl Clark at a small contract. He had gotten almost no minutes until filling in for Gasol when he went down with an injury, played very well (and even started when Gasol came back) until finally running out of gas later on (understandable given his prior playing time)

Side note 2- Don't tank. It's playing the lottery hoping for fate and even if fate smiles still waiting for that player to develop. Get young still developing players with talent and develop them in the system. Then you will have assets if need be later to trade for a player to put us over the top. What we should have done before we signed JJ to that contract.

[Watchman]

Hello again, I haven't posted in many years (divorce, moving, single life, new girlfriend, moving) but I'm back. I have been lurking for a month and checked in periodically before that. Same old characters seem to be here, good stuff.

I see a lot of discussion recently about backup options for if WHEN Dwight Howard decides to go elsewhere, including tanking. However I don't see Pekovic brought into the discussion. I think putting him at center, moving Horford to PF (which will increase his productivity I believe as he won't have to bang against centers as much and of course he's a true PF), and developing our two drafted center prospects (while they learn Bud's system) is a good plan for the paint. I think this would also follow the Spurs model a bit.

They seem to like him a bit-

http://www.minnpost.com/sports/2013/04/don-t-break-wolves-exhibit-b-nikola-pekovic

Side note 1- I'd take a venture at signing Earl Clark at a small contract. He had gotten almost no minutes until filling in for Gasol when he went down with an injury, played very well (and even started when Gasol came back) until finally running out of gas later on (understandable given his prior playing time)

Side note 2- Don't tank. It's playing the lottery hoping for fate and even if fate smiles still waiting for that player to develop. Get young still developing players with talent and develop them in the system. Then you will have assets if need be later to trade for a player to put us over the top. What we should have done before we signed JJ to that contract.

I think most folks think MIN will match any offers for Pek.

[Alex]

I haven't heard Pekovic's name at all with any rumors. I would definitely take him on this team.

[GameTime]

Minnesota will match any offer.

[coachx]

Teams are afraid of having their cap space tied up for 3 days while the Twolves match.

[TheDude]

ugh.

[Johnnybravo4]

Stiff

[DrReality]

welcome back

[Eddielives]

Pekovic would be great. I would actually pay around 12 million a year for him. He's still young and has improved every year in the league. I could see him settling in around 18-20 ppg with 9-10 rebounds shooting 50+ percent fg and a great free throw shooter. Who wouldn't pay that for a big? Stiff? Give me a break.

[Chinky_eyed_hawk]

around the league its Dwight watch

[Johnnybravo4]

like I said in another thread when has a team with a Euro center won a championship... sans MJ? They get exposed in the playoffs.

[WraithSentinel]

T'Wolves trying to keep Love. As the others said they will pretty much match any offer for him.

[LamarHampton]

On the topic of Pek:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-130703/what-top-nba-free-agents-worth

5. What would you offer Nikola Pekovic?

Coon: Five years, $57.5 million. Pek's situation has all the earmarks of a nice payday. He finished the season well, he's a big man and he's a restricted free agent. If some team wants to pry him away from Minnesota, they're going to have to make him an offer the Timberwollves would be reluctant to match. But I don't see Minnesota letting him go that easily. After he flirts with other teams a little, I see them taking advantage of their Bird rights and locking him in for five years with bigger raises, but maybe conceding a little on the starting salary.

Elhassan: Four years, $44 million (five years, $55 million if it's from Minnesota). One of the most efficient interior scorers in the league, Pekovic gets to the free throw line frequently (0.437 FTA rate) and converts (0.744 FT percentage), and is also one of the best offensive rebounders in the league (13.0 ORB percentage). Center is the highest-paid position in basketball, and with word of Tiago Splitter signing a four-year, $36 million deal, Pekovic's leverage increases.

Han: Four years, $42.5 million. Centers are notoriously overpaid in the league simply because of the dearth of serviceable bigs. Pekovic is more than serviceable, though, ranking ninth last season in PER among all centers. He's a solid roll-man and a boulder of a defender on the low block. If a team can sign him for a low-eight-figure price, that's a reasonable deal considering the position.

Sunnergren: Four years, $60 million. It might prove to be a bit of an overpay, but the nearly 300-pound Montenegrin -- after just three seasons of NBA basketball -- has blossomed into an efficient and effective scorer (he posted 16.3 PPG last season and a higher true shooting percentage than Brook Lopez), a plus defender and one of the league's pre-eminent offensive rebounders.

Winter: Four years, $48 million. Pekovic isn't a role player and he's not a superstar, either. He deserves more money than Splitter but not as much as Marc Gasol. He might earn more than this in reality, but Pek's defensive deficiencies at the rim and in pick-and-roll situations mean his very good raw numbers paint an inaccurate portrayal of his overall impact. For a limited third wheel, this seems appropriate.

[drzachary]

Bring him here.

[drzachary]

[Admin]

[drzachary]

Love Pek. I'd love a goofy Euro Pek-Zaza tandem.

[Admin]

Love Pek. I'd love a goofy Euro Pek-Zaza tandem.

As I said before, can you imagine the two of them walking into a China shop together??

Sadly they'd be just about the worst dynamic duo of defense in the league at the C position though.

[LamarHampton]

Love the guy, but yes, he can be a liability at times. Pretty sure he's been called for goaltending before when he wasn't even in the game -although he was seated on the sideline, his head was blocking the rim.

[Buzzard]

After Dwight he will get some news. I think the no news is good news rule applies here if we lose out on D12. Seems like the TWolves are holding off and hoping he does not get a good offer.