Nikola Pekovic will be shut down indefinitely as he continues a comeback attempt from Achilles tendon surgery last April, the Wolves announced Tuesday. Pekovic, who underwent a debridement and repair of his right Achilles on April 8, 2015, has missed the past eight games because of ankle pain.
He missed the first 35 games this season before making his debut Jan. 6 at Denver. Pekovic played in 12 games before missing the Feb. 2 game at the Los Angeles Lakers, and has not played since.
Wolves oifficials had this to say Tuesday in the team's official release:
"Our main concern is for the health of Nikola," said Timberwolves General Manager Milt Newton. "Our priority is getting him back on the court, playing at a consistent level for a sustained period of time. After much consulting with Nikola, our medical staff and some of the leading doctors in this field, we believe this is a necessary step in that process."
"A typical recovery from an Achilles surgery is 9-15 months," said Timberwolves Vice President of Sports Performance Arnie Kander. "While we've made significant strides with Nikola since his surgery, we've come to the conclusion that to ensure he has the best opportunity for sustained success on the court, we need to continue to focus on his rehab and make that the priority. We will continue to do that for the foreseeable future with the goal of him returning to the court at the appropriate time. We will continue to provide further updates as they relate to his return to action."
Pekovic averaged 4.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in 13.0 minutes in the 12 games he has played this season.
Drafted by the Wolves with the 31st overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft, Pekovic owns career averages of 12.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest in 271 games, all with Minnesota.
