The Minnesota Timberwolves are extremely confident that they can sign Nikola Pekovic to an extension and as Flip Saunders plans to meet with his agents in New York City, owner Glen Taylor said to reporters that he feels a personal call isn't necessary to get the deal done and that the team will work things out.
Reports came out earlier in the offseason that Pekovic and the team came to an extension agreement at four-years and about $50 million and while the number may move down from that, it appears that the basic idea is in place and that a trade for the center will not be going down. The Timberwolves have moved slowly on the deal due to their confidence and they think that with Pekovic and a healthy Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio, the team is a playoff squad that can build with a foundation for the years to come.
The team has made a number of moves this offseason, including signing Cory Brewer and Ronny Turiaf while also dealing away Luke Ridnour and acquiring Kevin Martin in a three team deal after he played for the Thunder to reunite him with his old Rockets and Kings coach in Rick Adelman. Love is an All-Star that should be healthy this season and Adelman feels that Pekovic and Love can play off each other very well and the team sees both as franchise players going forward.
The Timberwolves have been happy that no one else has tried to sign Pekovic and now they are looking to bring him back for at least four-years after averaging 18.6 points and 10 rebounds per 36 minutes and without any other teams coming at him, they can wait and get things in how they want them to be and Taylor said the relationship between the two is solid. Saunders is making the trip to ensure that everything is on the up and up and the team feels that they have given a fair offer after he averaged 16.3 points on 52 percent shooting and 8.8 rebounds a game last season and now a deal is the last piece of the puzzle.
If things can't get worked out with an extension, Pekovic could sign the qualifying offer of just over $6 million for one season and then work from there, but that is well below the $50 million extension that was first reported on obviously. The Timberwolves are looking to improve this season after winning just6 31 games and finishing 20 games under .500 and the addition of Kevin Martin as well as Muhammad and Ronny Turiaf should help that. Martin comes over after playing with the Thunder last season and Turiaf should give the team some solid depth on the bench after averaging 1.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 10.5 minutes last season with the Clippers after he signed a two year deal. Pekovic has proven to be a consistent player and while the Timberwolves could trade him, they see him as a future star and want to keep him local for at least the next few years.
