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I think that Pekovic is the center that we're looking for play with KLove next years,he can rebound,score points,add phisical presence in the area,and steal some ball.With a good pre-season with Adelman he can improve in defence.IMHO now we have just to look for a new SG.

KG21Italy wrote:I think that Pekovic is the center that we're looking for play with KLove next years,he can rebound,score points,add phisical presence in the area,and steal some ball.With a good pre-season with Adelman he can improve in defence.IMHO now we have just to look for a new SG.

I agree, and I think it all comes down to Pek (and Love's), ability to improve on defense.

Even if they never progressed defensively, I might be content if we had a defensive back-up to play 20 mpg. Heck, maybe Darko could do that, if Adelman said, "Just focus on defense." However, I think we need to see defensive improvement in all three, and I think Adelman might help get them there.

Kahn regularly says that the economics of today's NBA do not allow you to have a star at every position. MIN has two centers that are paid a reasonable $5 mil/yr .. at a time when other teams are dropping $12 on a single starter. If we can get starter-level production from the pair, it frees up payroll to help other positions. With Rubio and Williams on rookie deals, we'd have a very healthy payroll.

^^ If Pek actually becomes the starting C, which I would be pretty happy with provided current trends continue, I think we'd have to dump Darko and make a serious push for Asik in free agency.

Love would also have to improve more defensively, maybe actually become a + defender, which is possible for him I believe. Pek probably is what he is at this point ability-wise.

I'm penciling in Pekovic as our starting center for the near future (not using permanent ink at this point). We definitely need to jettison Darko and find a backup C that has some length, atheleticism, and defense. Someone like Randolph but with a brain would be great.

At this point, I'm willing to sacrifice defense and let Pek and Love work together. I'm not looking for an upgrade at center unless it falls in our laps. Try to fix what we have at the wings and see where it brings us.

If this type of play (or at least something approximate) is the new normal, then the Wolves could probably continue successfully with Pek as the starter. He'll never be a high flyer, but I would hope that Adelman and company could continue coaching him up to be a bigger Chuck Hayes type of defender in the post. Agree that I would want to jettison Darko and bring in a defensive backup like Asik (or the Dalembert type guys available from time to time) to be more consistent and less frustrating.

What a pleasant surprise Peck has become this season. Our wings are so bad that an upgrade there is the absolute top priority. In my dream world Malcom Lee pulls a Pek for us at the 2, and we somehow pull a trade for a good defending 3 with some fire in the belly and a brain.

I think it's pretty clear that Pekovic can at a minimum offer us an efficient scoring option under the basket and a high-energy rebounder on the offensive end. He'll be at best a mid-level defender but I think he's not too far from that. Pek clearly is passionate about the game. Watching his level of energy and hustle out there compared to Darko is such an amazing contrast.

I also think it's really obvious that Center isn't our issue, it's our SF and SG play. Looking at things from a short distance you can't help but look at the 8M, 5M and 4M that Beasley (QO), Darko and Ridnour are due respectively next season and wonder how much better shape the team would be using that 17M towards Asik and Gordon. My guess is that it would take closer to 20M to sign both players but I think it would be well worth it assuming we could arrange a S&T with NOH.

Any way you slice it, things are looking up for this club but this is a very significant point in time for Kahn. We have young stars and tradeable assets. Can he put it together and move us from a fringe playoff team and add enough to allow us to fight for a top-4 seed in the west? We will find out much sooner than later.

I don't have a problem with Darko being the backup. He isn't paid that much and provides solid defense. I jsut worry about his mindset now that Pek is dominating. Maybe he'll be inspired to work harder/be more consistent? Probably not... although I think he has more raw talent than Pek.

I guy like Ibaka would be great to have to create a killer 3-man rotation.

I think we need a third big who's athletic and defensive oriented that can play center and PF and thus play with either Pek or Love. It doesn't really matter if that third big or Pek starts. Someone like Favors but that would come at a much cheaper price tag would be ideal.

Interestingly enough, we don't actually sacrifice defense with Pekovic over Darko (at least according to Synergy Sports):

Pekovic Opponent's Points per Possession: 0.69
Darko OPPP: 0.78

Also:

Pekovic PPP: 1.09
Darko PPP: 0.75

Even with Darko's better help defense (which I don't think that Synergy accounts for), his offense is soooooo much worse that he's still a net negative on the court.