Pekovic Deal Official (Finally!)

[Klomp]

Time to have one thread dedicated to the signing:

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed center Nikola Pekovic. Per team policy, terms of the contract offer were not disclosed.

"We are excited to have Nikola join the Minnesota Timberwolves," said David Kahn, Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations. "Nikola has been regarded as the best center in Europe for the past few seasons and will be a tremendous addition to our club. He is a tough, hard-nosed player who brings an added dimension of physicality to our team. We look forward to him bringing his talents to the United States and the NBA."

Pekovic, 24, has played for Panathinaikos Athens for the past two seasons. This past year, the 6-11 center from Serbia averaged 14.8 points on 60.7% shooting from the field, 3.5 rebounds and 16.8 minutes in 13 games in the Euroleague. In 26 games for Panathinaikos in the Greek League in 2009-10, Pekovic averaged 12.9 points on 72.5% shooting, 3.8 rebounds and 21.9 minutes. He helped lead Panathinaikos to the Euroleague championship in 2009, the Greek League championship in 2009 and 2010 and the Greek Basketball Cup in 2009. Pekovic was named to the All-Euroleague First Team in 2009.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolve ... 90089.html

[moss_is_1]

Finally.

[Esohny]

Low post beast skills as a legit center; huzzah!

[brazilianwolves]

Great news !!

[Saltine]

I think he's going to kick some serious ass

[Busch Legion]

Hopefully he'll grab a rebound or two too!!!!!!!!

[Timberpuppy]

Yes!!... his offensive skills are great... but I hope he can grab more than 5 rebounds a game!

[Breakdown777]

He's a decent rebounder for a Center, it's just there aren't as many rebounding opportunities overseas.

I'm only predicting Pek to see the floor for approx. 20 minutes a night due to foul trouble, so I think 5 boards is right where he'll be. If he plays for extended time, I could see him getting 7 or 8 boards per 36.

[Esohny]

He's a decent rebounder for a Center, it's just there aren't as many rebounding opportunities overseas.

I'm only predicting Pek to see the floor for approx. 20 minutes a night due to foul trouble, so I think 5 boards is right where he'll be. If he plays for extended time, I could see him getting 7 or 8 boards per 36.

Some nice post scoring punch off the bench. He should be pretty effective offensively versus other teams' backups, but as you say, he needs to get used to the referees and the NBA game in general.

[Klomp]

20 minutes is probably generous, especially right away. That many minutes is usually only by the first or second guy off the bench, which I don't think he'll be. I think 12-15 is more likely, possibly closer to 10.

[Mcfale313]

Milicic (30) / Pekovic (18)
Love (30) / Pekovic (7) / Beasley (11)
Beasley (19) / Webster (25) / Johnson (4)
Johnson (24) / Brewer (24)
Ridnour (32) / Bassy+Ellington (16)
(Flynn 30 / Ridnour 18 after flynn back)

Minute distribution:

Milicic 30
Love 30
Beasley 30
Flynn 30
Johnson 28
Pekovic 25
Webster 25
Brewer 24
Ridnour 18
Ellington / Koufus / Bassy (garbage time)

[Breakdown777]

20 minutes is probably generous, especially right away. That many minutes is usually only by the first or second guy off the bench, which I don't think he'll be. I think 12-15 is more likely, possibly closer to 10.

I agree that 20 is generous, which is why I used the word approximately. I should've said 20 minutes MAX to better illustrate my point. I think 10 is low though. I don't believe the "Love at C" talk, I think that will fail immediately, so the backup C minutes are going to go to strictly Pek by mid-season. I think 15-20 minutes is realistic for a backup C.

[Klomp]

Darko will average 32-36 minutes IMO, leaving Pekovic with 12-16.

[Worm Guts]

It will depend on how well they play. It's conceivable Pek outplays Darko.

[Steve_Holiday]

Eez excitink for reason thyat Pekovic ees largyest contract for secont roundst peek een eestory of en bee ay.

If this guy is better than Craig Smith, I will be surprised. However, I am looking forward to see the Montenegran Rapist pump away on futuristic weight machines while hot Eastern European nurses inject him with Chernobyly.

[Klomp]

Eez excitink for reason thyat Pekovic ees largyest contract for secont roundst peek een eestory of en bee ay.

If this guy is better than Craig Smith, I will be surprised. However, I am looking forward to see the Montenegran Rapist pump away on futuristic weight machines while hot Eastern European nurses inject him with Chernobyly.

He is DEFINITELY better than Craigers (though I doubt he ever played PG in high school...)

[Dalvin]

We can now call our frontline as Darkola!

[Devilzsidewalk]

I want to see lots of Pekovic, I'm hoping he and Darko give us a nice offense/defense combo. Darko should start, but I would like to see them close to splitting minutes until somebody breaks away.

[shrink]

We can now call our frontline as Darkola! :lol:

Rube Chat had a good nickname, and it'll probably stick:

The Eastern Block

[eyeteeth]

Rube Chat had a good nickname, and it'll probably stick:

The Eastern Block

Love it.