Yesterday the Minnesota Timberwolves announced that starting center Nikola Pekovic will need Achilles tendon surgery on his right foot. The big man from Montenegro has been the Wolves’ starting center for the last three seasons and has grown into a significant part of the team’s rotation. This season, Pekovic has been limited to just 31 games, averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Pekovic has missed a huge portion of the season due to injury, as the big man just can’t seem to get healthy for an extended period of time. This is a very concerning pattern for the Timberwolves hierarchy, as just two offseasons ago they rewarded Pekovic with a five year, $60 million contract. In the past two seasons since his new contract, Pekovic hasn’t even been able play in 100 games.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have an extremely bright future, with players like Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine leading the charge. Wiggins has shown the potential to develop into a superstar, while LaVine has demonstrated his athlete athleticism with his ferocious dunks. With many other promising young players on the roster, it’s unlikely that the injury-prone Pekovic keeps a major role with the team going forwards, especially considering the emergence of center Gorgui Dieng. With Pekovic’s recurring injuries and the full out youth movement in Minnesota, don’t be surprised if a trade involving Pekovic happens as early as this offseason.
The surgery on Pekovic’s Achilles tendon will be done in North Carolina by Dr. Robert Anderson, a very well-respected foot specialist.
