Anyone else hoping the Nikola Pekovic negotiations go bad

[Fafnir]

I felt the same about KG.

KG is a 45% mid range shooter and is around 50% at his sweet spots. That makes moves it from being a horrible shot to a good one, similar to what Bosh does for Miami now.

Love is around 38%, though it helps that he'll take threes as well.

As for defensive rebounding being defense, it can be. But when you're surrendering clean looks at the rim it doesn't help as much as you'd think. Love's issue is that Minnesota has yet to pair him with a rim defender.

[EvilEmpire]

It was already reported earlier this month that the T-Wolves and Pekovic had agreed in principle to a 4 yr $50Million dollar extension.

http://www.canishoopus.com/2013/7/10/4511456/wolves-near-agreement-with-nikola-pekovic-on-a-four-year-contract

[saltlover]

It was already reported earlier this month that the T-Wolves and Pekovic had agreed in principle to a 4 yr $50Million dollar extension.

http://www.canishoopus.com/2013/7/10/4511456/wolves-near-agreement-with-nikola-pekovic-on-a-four-year-contract

But he still hasn't signed, which implies that a deal hasn't actually been reached.

Send Hunphries (for salary) and other assets (so that Minny agrees) in a S&T?

[nostar]

KG is a 45% mid range shooter and is around 50% at his sweet spots. That makes moves it from being a horrible shot to a good one, similar to what Bosh does for Miami now.

Love is around 38%, though it helps that he'll take threes as well.

I agree that KG is a better mid range shooter but I'm saying that it's the worst shot in the NBA. While it is a good shot for KG it's not as good of a shot for KLove and if you look at the shooting breakdown KLove seems to know this as the 10-20ft shot is his least common.

Yeah the 3pt shot does really help him. So much so that his TS% over his career is better the KG's.

As for defensive rebounding being defense, it can be. But when you're surrendering clean looks at the rim it doesn't help as much as you'd think. Love's issue is that Minnesota has yet to pair him with a rim defender.

It helps if they miss the clean looks at the rim I guess but yeah. Also I don't think KLove is as bad as people say on D. He lacks lateral quickness but...welcome to being 6'10". There are some athletic exceptions but cmon, he's good at almost everything else. No player has it all...except the reigning MVP I guess. Maybe KD too.

And I wasn't meaning to conflate KG and KLove. I think KG is in the top-10 guys to ever play (and that isn't a common opinion). But when he'd shoot from 18ft I always thought it was a waste. Take a step back and shoot 40% from 3 or take 3 steps in and shoot 65% at the rim. The statistics say his 18 footer is a bad shot and just because he made it more than most guys doesn't mean it was the shot he should have been taking. Then again, all time greats get the benefit of the doubt.

[byennie]

And I wasn't meaning to conflate KG and KLove. I think KG is in the top-10 guys to ever play (and that isn't a common opinion). But when he'd shoot from 18ft I always thought it was a waste. Take a step back and shoot 40% from 3 or take 3 steps in and shoot 65% at the rim. The statistics say his 18 footer is a bad shot and just because he made it more than most guys doesn't mean it was the shot he should have been taking. Then again, all time greats get the benefit of the doubt.

Generally speaking, I agree that long 2's are the worst shot to take, but I do think that is occasionally overstated as long as you are shooting in that higher 45%+ range. The hidden upside of those KG jumpers is that there are almost zero turnovers and no fast breaks coming the other way. So you're basically getting an option that gives you 1pt per possession anytime you want it, and good defense. Not something to make your 1st option but a decent filler for your game plan.

[LooseCannon]

And I wasn't meaning to conflate KG and KLove. I think KG is in the top-10 guys to ever play (and that isn't a common opinion). But when he'd shoot from 18ft I always thought it was a waste. Take a step back and shoot 40% from 3 or take 3 steps in and shoot 65% at the rim. The statistics say his 18 footer is a bad shot and just because he made it more than most guys doesn't mean it was the shot he should have been taking. Then again, all time greats get the benefit of the doubt.

Kevin Garnett is a career 27.9% three-point shooter who used to take those shots earlier in his career.  He would have to shoot at least 41.9% on long twos for those shots to be a better idea than shooting a three.  And KG shoots better than that.  Garnett has been nailing those long twos at about 47% as a Celtic, so he would have to be at least a 31.3% shooter on threes for that to be a better option.

Context matters.  If you had access to more data, I suspect you would find that Garnett taking an uncontested long two is a better shot than most players shooting a contested three.

[European NBA fan]

And I wasn't meaning to conflate KG and KLove. I think KG is in the top-10 guys to ever play (and that isn't a common opinion). But when he'd shoot from 18ft I always thought it was a waste. Take a step back and shoot 40% from 3 or take 3 steps in and shoot 65% at the rim. The statistics say his 18 footer is a bad shot and just because he made it more than most guys doesn't mean it was the shot he should have been taking. Then again, all time greats get the benefit of the doubt.

Kevin Garnett is a career 27.9% three-point shooter who used to take those shots earlier in his career.  He would have to shoot at least 41.9% on long twos for those shots to be a better idea than shooting a three.  And KG shoots better than that.  Garnett has been nailing those long twos at about 47% as a Celtic, so he would have to be at least a 31.3% shooter on threes for that to be a better option.

Context matters.  If you had access to more data, I suspect you would find that Garnett taking an uncontested long two is a better shot than most players shooting a contested three.

It is a bit strange that KG never has become a three point shooter, considering how good his shooting form is. It would have been a tremendous weapon. 

[Fafnir]

And I wasn't meaning to conflate KG and KLove. I think KG is in the top-10 guys to ever play (and that isn't a common opinion). But when he'd shoot from 18ft I always thought it was a waste. Take a step back and shoot 40% from 3 or take 3 steps in and shoot 65% at the rim. The statistics say his 18 footer is a bad shot and just because he made it more than most guys doesn't mean it was the shot he should have been taking. Then again, all time greats get the benefit of the doubt.

Kevin Garnett is a career 27.9% three-point shooter who used to take those shots earlier in his career.  He would have to shoot at least 41.9% on long twos for those shots to be a better idea than shooting a three.  And KG shoots better than that.  Garnett has been nailing those long twos at about 47% as a Celtic, so he would have to be at least a 31.3% shooter on threes for that to be a better option.

Context matters.  If you had access to more data, I suspect you would find that Garnett taking an uncontested long two is a better shot than most players shooting a contested three.

It is a bit strange that KG never has become a three point shooter, considering how good his shooting form is. It would have been a tremendous weapon.

He did try to add a three point shot for a few years, even had some good years shooting it. But in the end his central role to Minny's offense in the high post with his face up game really wasn't served with him sitting outside.

He clearly has the range for it and probably could have become a pretty good one.

[rondoallaturca]

No thanks. I love him as a player but his camp is already rebuffing a 4yr/$50M offer. We'd have to be overpaying an insane amount to get him.

[crownontherocks]

The Timberwolves have offered restricted free agent C Nikola Pekovic a four-year, $48 million contract.
 
Espn

[Smitty77]

He is GONE.

[Mazingerz]

This translates to $12Mn a year?

IMHO I think its fair. But other teams will overbid this; He would range around $14Mn to $16Mn per season;

[Smitty77]

They will have to pay him between 13-14 starting to keep him IMHO.  He is solid.

[rondoallaturca]

This translates to $12Mn a year?

IMHO I think its fair. But other teams will overbid this; He would range around $14Mn to $16Mn per season;

I don't see why another team would try and raise the offer. Everyone knows Minnesota is going to match, and it'd be counterproductive to unnecessarily drive up the market. Unless Portland comes in for some vendetta over the messy Batum situation a few offseasons ago, it looks like Pekovic will be staying in Minnesota at a pretty reasonable price.