Timberwolves rumors: Could Gorgui Dieng cause Minnesota to trade Nikola Peković?

Now that the Minnesota Timberwolves have dealt star power forward Kevin Love, point guard Alexey Shved and forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute for swingman Andrew Wiggins and forwards Anthony Bennett and Thaddeus Young, speculation about whether or not the Timberwolves will continue to deal veterans and make way for their younger players has begun. One player who has been at the center of rumors is center Nikola Peković.

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Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders doesn’t expect the Timberwolves to trade Peković but won’t rule it out because of the emergence of second-year pro Gorgui Dieng.

"I doubt it. Pek logged his best year when Love was out. I think he’ll put up significantly better numbers this year than last.I wouldn’t rule it out, because Gorgui Dieng looked really good this summer, but given what Pek is owed, there isn’t a scenario that seems likely."

Peković averaged 17.4 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 54.0% from the field and 74.7% from the free throw line. In his four-year career, the 31st-overall pick in the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft, has put up 13.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 53.5% from the floor and 74.7% from the charity stripe. As a rookie last season, Dieng, the 21st-overall pick in the first round of the 2013 draft, went for 4.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in just 13.6 minutes per game while shooting 49.8% from the floor and 63.4% from the free throw line. Dieng played much better (and more) as the season went on and was even named the Western Conference’s Rookie of the Month in March.

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