As the player on the Timberwolves roster who played the least minutes a year ago, Nikola Pekovic‘s lack of playing time was entirely due to injury. However, the second-least minutes played were by Adreian Payne, and health had nothing to do with it.
Indeed, the big man who was acquired for a protected first-round pick by the late Flip Saunders at the 2015 trade deadline had a poor 2015-16 season, and has yet to show much of the promise that no doubt led to Saunders consummating the trade with the Atlanta Hawks.