Nikola Pekovic is the kind of old-school big man who is a perfect fit next to Kevin Love in Minnesota.
Pekovic can score efficiently in the post (he scored 16.3 points a game on 52 percent shooting last year), is good on the pick and roll, grabs rebounds and on defense is a big body and a paint protector. Pekovic does the dirty work.
Which is why the Timberwolves are ready to pay to keep him, reports Adrian Wojnarowski at Yahoo Sports.
Minnesota, Nikola Pekovic getting closer on a four-year, $50 million contract extension, league sources tell Y! Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 10, 2013
That price is about the going rate for a quality NBA big man.
Minnesota and new GM Flip Saunders need to improve their relationship with Kevin Love and show him they can build a winner around him so he doesn’t opt out and bolt in the summer of 2015. So far they are doing that — Saunders has a much better relationship with Love than David Kahn did, and with additions such as Kevin Martin and Corey Brewer, the Timberwolves will be a playoff team next season if they stay healthy.
The retention of Pekovic fits right in line with all of that.