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Kevin Love Trade Rumors: 5 Ways T’Wolves Get Better

By Michael Dunlap

Apr 16, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) dribbles against the Utah Jazz at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) dribbles against the Utah Jazz at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
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PEKOVIC NEEDS A CHANCE TO STAR

I’m not going full troll on you here to say that Love was holding back Pekovic’s ability to become a star, but there is a sliver of truth to that statement. Love’s presence as an elite defensive rebounder hurt Pekovic in the stat column. Even with that, Pekovic averaged 8.7 rebounds per game in just 30.8 minutes (3.8 offensive). Without Love there, you can bet that big Nik is going to pull in a couple more rebounds per game.

Watch Pekovic against the Clippers, when he abused DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin for 34 points back in December, 2013.

If I said you could have a 28-year-old center with averages of 19 points and 10 rebounds with a field goal percentage of 54.1 percent and a free-throw percentage of 74.7, you’d absolutely go for it, right? There’s about 27 teams that would say yes without even thinking. Will Pekovic ever become Dwight Howard defensively? Considering the vertical leap of concrete blocks, probably not. Even so — Pekovic held opposing centers to a 15.0 PER while putting up 21.8 on the other end.

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