If we were to trade Pekovic ..?

[shrink]

I see a lot of trades that use Darko as salary filler, particularly ones that bring us a better center in return. However, I question whether one more trade would cause Darko to melt down, and simply give up on the NBA. Perhaps a better player to use, for us and for the other team would be Pekovic. And while we may need a center, I also question whether Pekovic can fit in on a team that runs. Pek may lose minutes to Anthony Randolph and Love may play minutes at C as well.

But where else would Pekovic fit? His numbers are unimpressive, but for what he is, I think it's possible to find a spot for him.

1. He has size and strength. Plenty
2. He has upside. He struggled with the speed of the NBA game and fouled a lot, but it was his rookie year here.
3. Centers get paid. At this point, he's not earning $4.5, $4.9 mil contract, but that's reasonable for even a back-up NBA center if he can be at all productive.

With those characteristics, he would have the most valuable for a team that has a big need for center minutes, and could use a project center. It might be best if they have a productive offensive PF that doesn't work down low. So who might consider him?

TOR? - need size and boards down low next to spritely Bargnani. Valanciunas is a wait.
HOU? - still a team with a cloudy future but a lot of opportunity at center.
NYK? - they need somebody next to Amar'e, and Pek isn't a cap killer.
LAC? - still young, and Kaman won't be there for long.
SA? - Develop foreign centers, and Duncan won't be there much longer.

I'm not looking for much in return here. Since Pek is a bad fit on several teams, I might be happy with a three-way where he's dealt for an expiring and a light prospect, so we can brighten a package for something we need.

Anyone have thoughts on trading Pekovic, and to whom?

[Esohny]

Might be useful in Portland. Shrug.

[john2jer]

I've had this same thought shrink, hence my Ridnour/Pekovic for Hinrich proposal. Which I still think is a good trade for Atlanta, considering they only have 7 guys on the roster that got even minimum minutes last year, and are already sitting at $66mil committed.

Shot in the dark. Maybe minor picks need to be added in to balance from Atlanta to Houston?

Atlanta gives: Hinrich
Atlanta gets: Thabeet, Ridnour, and Ellington

Bring in a center allowing Horford to play a little more at the 4. Ridnour fills Hinrich's offensive production. Ellington helps bring the roster up to the minimum, and is a solid shooter off the bench.

Houston gives: Thabeet
Houston gets: Pekovic and Hayward

Get a more classic McHale type center, and a hardworking swingman off the bench.

Minnesota gives: Ridnour, Pekovic, Ellington, and Hayward
Minnesota gets: Hinrich

Consolidate 4 guys who shouldn't play into one that can backup and play with Rubio. Hinrich joins Tolliver as the Mitchell/Porter type veterans to guide the Wolves. Also saves future money.

[[RCG]]

^ I love this trade. Clears out the back-of-the-bench players for one who'll get minutes.

1.Rubio
2.Hinrich
3.Lee
4.Johnson
5.Webster
6.Beasley
7.Williams
8.Love
9.Tolliver
10.Randolph
11.Milicic
12.Miller
13. 1-yr minimum
14. 1-yr minimum

We'll have Hinrich off the books after this season, Miller & Webster can be bought out.
Love, Beasley, Randolph will be restricted free-agents.

[john2jer]

Tolliver's expiring as well. We're suddenly looking at like $39mil in cap space before signing the trio. We could likely get them inked, sign our rookies, and bring in a MLE-type free agent for slightly more.

[PG24]

Not the sexiest trade in the world but it sure is pretty. He's already backed up Rose and Wall, almost makes you assume as if it's his calling to come work his stuff alongside Rubio - even if for only half a season. Can you imagine watching defensive tenacity out of the PG spot at all times? A Rubio/Hinrich combo would ensure just that. Not to mention Hinrich's ability to defend either the 1 or 2, and on the offensive end has proven to successfully play off the ball/stretch the D with his 3pt shooting. The two could actually log minutes together on the court without it being a detriment to the team, which also means two playmakers with handles running the show at the same time. And he's a vet leader with an attractive contract to boot. One of the more ideal 'tweaking' type of roster move ideas I've seen.

[shrink]

Like I said on the trade board, I think it's a good trade for both teams as well. Hinrich's not worth $8 mil this year, but he plays defense, is a good leader/mentor, and grew up in the midwest so he might like being a Timberwolf.

Pekovic to HOU is a nice spin too. McHale was the GM that drafted Pek, so he may have extra incentive to show he knew what he was doing with that pick, and maybe encourage HOU to pay a little more than other teams might. The rockets could certainly use a center prospect, to add some size underneath.

[Krapinsky]

Hinrich has long been overrated on these boards. He hasn't been a plus defender since 2007 and he brings little to the table offensively.

I'd rather have Ridnour straight up.

[john2jer]

Hinrich has long been overrated on these boards. He hasn't been a plus defender since 2007 and he brings little to the table offensively.

I'd rather have Ridnour straight up.

Oh I agree on the over ranking of Hinrich, but I love that it clears a ton of unneeded salary, and adds a guy who can play a little at the 2. Ridnour put up much better raw numbers and shooting percentages than Hinrich last year, but I don't think he could play off the ball. I'm a bigger fan of Ridnour than most around here, but Hayward shouldn't be in the NBA, Pekovic doesn't fit, and Ellington is too far down the depth chart.

[Klomp]

Houston seems like the best fit. McHale drafted him, they need a center, and Morey tried to trade for him last summer...Pekovic for Thabeet?

[PG24]

Hinrich wouldn't be an upgrade over Ridnour in terms of production, comparably they'd be a wash at best, so I'd agree he's overrated if anyone thinks he'd come in and be a huge upgrade. But simply put: I'd rather have my backup bring energy over a similarly productive player who just sort of goes through the motions. Hinrich may not be a plus individual defender, but when talking team defense his energy, intensity and ability as a ball hawk would go a long ways in helping turn things around. Luke will do fine backing up Rubio if that's the route Kahn sticks to, but it would be much more beneficial to the team if he were able to pull off a deal similar to the one mentioned.

[Esohny]

Houston seems like the best fit. McHale drafted him, they need a center, and Morey tried to trade for him last summer...Pekovic for Thabeet?

Thabeet makes more than Pekovic and is complete garbage. I guess if Kahn wanted just a straight dump of 2012 salary, they could decline the team option and just look at Thabust as an expiring, but it seems like they could do better. Or just keep Pekovic.

[Krapinsky]

More so than anything proposed thus far, I'd just rather trade Pekovic to Houston for their Battier TPE and keep Ridnour.

That said, I'd rather keep Pekovic too. Mostly because i don't quite trust Darko and AR yet. It's not like Pek's value is going to go down. I think we should wait until we hire a new coach and see who he picks to play in his system. Then we can just trade the odd man out.

[Biff Cooper]

I'm a little torn on this topic. If Pek gets the hang of the NBA game, starts feeling comfortable out there on the court, and starts getting a little bit of respect from the refs, I could see him becoming a very very good NBA role player. He just works his butt off out there on the court. I could see him wearing the heck out of his opponents, with high offensive efficiency. On the other hand, he does make a decent chunk of change, and is a little limited athletically. It also seems like he is never going to be a 30 mpg type player.

I enjoy watching him play, so I vote for keeping him, short of a no-brainer trade to bring in someone better.

[funkatron101]

A lot of us grossly overshot our expectations of him. Hopefully our next coach can utilize him in a way that lives up to those expectations a little more.

[GopherIt!]

blame Hollinger and DX, lol.

[eyeteeth]

Pek is fine here. If he goes in a trade it's as a 3rd piece. There's lots of teams that would love to have him, too. Orlando for starters. But the bottom line is that he will be better next year than last, and better than that the year after next. It doesn't hurt to hold on to him, and probably makes more sense to wait and sell high if we do trade him.

I like him. I hope we keep him. He clearly enjoys the game a great deal, and when he gets more established over here he's going to be significant presence on the court.

[Rashoismydad]

Trading Pek is a horrible idea.

His biggest issues were simply transition related, picking up fouls and 3 second violations.

He scored at an efficient rate, drew a lot of fouls, was active, gave great effort, and is our best post option. Let him make his adjustments and grow with the team. I think he fits nicely as the niche bulk, scorer, enforcer on the team. Too much is made of being a running team, 5 guys dont have to run. Besides, Pekovic chugs down the court harder than anybody else on the team and its fun to watch haha.

[shrink]

More so than anything proposed thus far, I'd just rather trade Pekovic to Houston for their Battier TPE and keep Ridnour.

That said, I'd rather keep Pekovic too. Mostly because i don't quite trust Darko and AR yet. It's not like Pek's value is going to go down. I think we should wait until we hire a new coach and see who he picks to play in his system. Then we can just trade the odd man out.

I like the idea of the TPE, and I agree that Darko and AR are tough to rely on - it might mean getting a different center.

Only bit I'd disagree on is that Pek's value can go down. Right now, we can talk about TPE's despite his 5 PPG average because it was his rookie year and he's new to the league. If, say, he's at 5 PPG at the March 2012 trade deadline, he wouldn't get back this value.

[Breakdown777]

I'd like to hold on to Pek as well, but there just aren't enough minutes to go around. If we are able to swing a deal where we only have to give up one decent piece in order to gut the end of the bench and get a decent backup in return, I'd roll with it.

Those guys I'd include if it meant getting rid of Lazar and Ellington are:
Pek
Webster - for another backup SG/SF
Tolliver - for another role-player/leader
Miller - for another vet
Ridnour - for another sufficient backup PG (like Kirk)

Pek is really the only guy where I wouldn't want a similar productive piece in return, as we already have plenty of 4/5 guys.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is how much Pek improved defensively as the season went on. He cut back on the "stupid fouls" quite a bit toward the end of the season. He was still slow, but he started making more and more correct rotations. It looked as if he was getting a better feel for NBA defense. If he is working hard in the off-season, I think we'll be able to see more improvement in that regard as well.
I don't think we have to trade him now unless a good deal pops up, as he'll become a serviceable piece later on.