The Timberwolves reached an agreement with 2010 second-round draft pick Nemanja Bjelica on a three-year contract worth nearly $12 million, according to a person with knowledge of the contract talks.
Euroleague MVP Bjelica agrees to three-year, $12M deal with Wolves
The 2010 second-round draft pick is an offensively skilled 6-10 big man who can play both forward spots.
July 7, 2015 at 3:51PM
The deal will be announced when the NBA's free-agent negotiating period ends Thursday.
Selected 35th overall by David Kahn, Bjelica, 27, was named the Euroleague's MVP this past season and is an offensively skilled 6-10 big man who can play both forward spots but probably is best suited as a "stretch" power forward because NBA scouts expect he'll struggle to defend small forwards in their league.
The Wolves also are expected to announce a contract agreement with free agent Kevin Garnett sometime after the moratorium ends Thursday. It likely will be a two-year deal with a provision Garnett will stay with the franchise after this season in a management role if his 39-yearold body can't play two more seasons.
Pek in town
Wolves center Nikola Pekovic strolled through the team's practice facility Monday wearing a protective boot on his right foot.
He underwent surgery on his Achilles' tendon in that foot in April in something of a last-ditch attempt to resolve pain that has bothered him the last three seasons.
He returned to Minnesota last week from his home in Montenegro to continue his rehab.
JERRY ZGODA
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Despite so-so record, Wolves have improved at crunch time.
