Minnesota Timberwolves

Nikola Pekovic isn't sure when he'll be back on the floor

Published Sep. 30, 2015 12:26 p.m. ET

foxsports

Nikola Pekovic has had to deal with his fair share of injuries since entering the NBA. Because of that, he's become the ultimate health pessimist.

Pekovic underwent surgery on his right ankle six months ago, but still, he finds himself on the sidelines watching his Timberwolves practice. And unfortunately for him, the return date isn't anticipated to be anytime in the near future.

Here's more from Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune:

Youngbloog did mention when Pek hopes to come back to practice. Still, who knows when he'll be back in games.

Pekovic's pessimism makes sense to a degree. He's never played more than 65 games during any give season of his five-year NBA career. He got onto the floor for only 31 last year, though is he did remain an essential part of the Wolves' attack, averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in just only 26 minutes a night.

“They said everything went fine,” Pekovic said. “But I’m always saying I don’t believe anything until I start running.’’

And that will be a while. The Timberwolves opened training camp Tuesday with an afternoon practice, run by interim coach Sam Mitchell while Flip Saunders battles cancer. Pekovic, nearly six months removed from the surgery on his right ankle, couldn’t do much more than take some shots, watch, and get yet more treatment.

The surgery was performed in Charlotte, N.C. by well-known foot surgeon Dr. Bob Anderson. In the procedure bone was shaved from around Pekovic’s right Achilles’ tendon, a process that required the tendon to be detached, then reattached. He was in a cast for a month, in an immobilizing boot for two months, on crutches seemingly forever.

He’s been out of the boot for a while. He walks without a noticeable limp. But it will be a while before he even tries to run. At this point he hopes to return to practice in six or seven weeks. He’d like to be playing in December.