The Trade Value of Nikola Pekovic (Stop Laughing)

[caninatl04]

There may be method to the madness of keeping Pek on the roster (as opposed to taking a medical exemption).  Assume the Wolves want to trade some of their younger pieces for an established "star".

 

Of the four major sports, basketball is the only one where, salary cap considerations aside, the salaries of the traded players have to (roughly) match.

 

So, (and just as an example-- I'm not necessarily advocating this), if the Wolves wanted to trade, say, Wiggins or LaVine or Dunn or some other young, promising star with a low current contract number (essentially, anyone on the roster except Ricky Rubio), for an established star with a high contract number, then the Wolves need to add something to make the salaries "match".

 

Enter Pek.  Add his contract number, and many more young-for-established trades "work".  Pek's new team can then use the medical exemption.

[kab21]

I have been saying this for years. The Wolves haven't had cap issues so getting salary relief for Pek never made sense since they could do this with a now expiring contract.