Sports + reporter Kong Dexin reported
On June 21, Beijing time, the Minnesota Timberwolves officially announced the layoff of team center Nikola Pekovic. The Montenegrin centre forward has been battling ankle and Achilles tendon injuries for the past two years. At the end of September last year, he suffered another soreness in his right ankle and missed all the games of the 2016-17 season. In his seven seasons with the Timberwolves, Pekovic played just 271 games and averaged 12.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
Pekovic signed a five-year, $60 million long-term contract with the team after the 2012-13 suspension, with a year left on his contract. The 31-year-old last appeared on January 31, 2016.
After being drafted by Minnesota in 2008, Pekovic sprained his left foot in just 10 games. He missed an average of 21 games a year in the first four seasons, mostly due to a right foot injury. After that, he underwent Achilles tendon surgery in April 2015, but after only 12 games, he collapsed again.
Today, the Timberwolves have hoarded a lot of young and promising interior players. Towns is seen as a strong contender for the league's no. 1 center, and Gorgy Gion has also played a stunning performance. In this case, even if Pekovic recovers, it will be difficult to find a place here.