Nicola Pekovic says he can’t run without pain, sounds like he knows he’s done

The last time we saw Nikola Pekovic on the court was January 31 of this year — during last season. He played a total of 12 games for the Timberwolves last season. This season he’s not going to play at all, with ankle issues keeping him from being healthy.

While he is under contract through the summer of 2018, his career seems over. And it sounds like he knows it.

Speaking at a press conference in his native Serbia (mostly about the team Partizan, where he is club president), Pekovic sounded like a guy who will never step on the court again, via Eurohoops.com.

“Two years ago I struggle with my injury, I was mentally exhausted. This year I was there for two months, I tried to do everything possible, but there are times when you simply can’t. I can not run without pain”.

After he is out for a year, the Timberwolves can apply to the league to have the money from his contract taken off their official books (Pekovic would still get paid the $23.7 million he is owed, that’s what guaranteed contracts are for, but the money would not count against the cap). If he returns to play for 25 games that money goes back on the books, but that seems highly unlikely now.