{"id":970,"date":"2016-09-27T09:42:08","date_gmt":"2016-09-27T13:42:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/?p=970"},"modified":"2016-09-27T09:42:08","modified_gmt":"2016-09-27T13:42:08","slug":"nikola-pekovic-out-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2016\/09\/27\/nikola-pekovic-out-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Timberwolves Center Nikola Pekovic Out for Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

Minnesota Timberwolves<\/strong> center Nikola Pekovic<\/a><\/strong> is set to miss the entire 2016-17 NBA<\/strong> season. The big man out of Montenegro<\/strong> is said to be suffering from recurring ankle pain. The Timberwolves have\u00a0yet to announce when they expect Pekovic to be healthy.<\/p>\n

Timberwolves Center Nikola Pekovic Out for Season<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Pekovic, 30, played in just 12 games last season. The Montenegrin center averaged 4.5 points and 1.8 rebounds. Pekovic has played just 43 games combined in the last two seasons. Injuries are clearly an issue for Pekovic, and they have been ever since the big man signed a $60 million deal in 2013. Remember, Pekovic hasn’t actually gotten a new injury. He has, in fact, failed to recover from one.\u00a0Pekovic’s latest ailment could be worse than originally\u00a0feared.<\/p>\n

Some reports are saying that Pekovic’s ankle injury could be career threatening. Jon Krawczynski<\/strong> of the Associated Press<\/strong> noted last week that it would be unlikely for the center to ever play again. That’s news\u00a0that new T-Wolves head coach Tom Thibodeau<\/strong> will not want to hear.<\/p>\n

Thibodeau had this to say when he spoke to Kent Youngblood<\/strong> of the Star Tribune<\/strong>:\u00a0“We were hopeful he would respond well. There have been some good days, but there have been a lot of setbacks as well.”<\/p>\n

Thibodeau and the Timberwolves appear to have prepared well for the Pekovic loss this off-season. The team signed centers Cole Aldrich<\/a><\/strong> and Jordan Hill<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0during the summer. Big man\u00a0Gorgui Dieng<\/a><\/strong> is heading into his fourth season and star center Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a><\/strong> is heading into his sophomore year in the NBA.<\/p>\n

The Pekovic injury is the second big bit of news for Timberwolves fans this week. Earlier in the week, 15-time All-Star Kevin Garnett<\/a><\/strong> announced his retirement from the game of basketball<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Pekovic has played six seasons in Minnesota, after being selected\u00a031st overall in the 2008 NBA Draft<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n