The Wolves reconvened today at Target Center after six days away for All-Star break and practiced for the first time in a week, but starting center Nikola Pekovic didn't practice with them.

He's not yet ready for such on-court work yet, even with the extra week's worth of rest.

He hasn't played since a Jan. 27 game at Chicago. He is not expected to play Wednesday night against Indiana at Target Center.

That'd be his 10th consecutive game missed.

He was not in a protected boot while walking around at practice Tuesday. He was seen wearing one last week just before the Wolves went on their break.

"I'm not surprised," Wolves coach RIck Adelman said when asked about Pekovic not practicing Tuesday. "They're hoping to get him more activity over the next few days and see what happens. LIke I said before, he's got to get on court and practicing. It's not only the injury, it's the practicing. It's something we really have to look at."

THe Wolves probably will practice both Thursday and Friday before flying to Utah to begin on a Saturday a five-game Western trip.

"He's getting better, I think he'll be back soon," teammate J.J. Barea said. "I think he's making sure when he's back he'll be ready to play. Yeah, we miss him. You know we miss him."

Guard Kevin Martin is still scheduled to revisit his doctor on Friday to see he gets clearance to play with that healing fractured thumb on that upcoming road trip.

Meanwhile, Thursday's trade deadline is now just two days away and you know Flip Saunders is working hard to do something, whether it's pursuing Denver exiled point guard Andre Miller or that Yahoo!Sports reported deal on Monday that said the Wolves have discussed a Barea-Chase Budinger for Tayshaun Prince-Tony Allen deal with Memphis.

Budinger declined to talk with reporters Tuesday, walking past them and saying, "I'm not talking about any rumors."

Despite all the building national speculation, here's one thing you can bet on: The Wolves aren't trading Kevin Love.

At least not yet, not by Thursday.