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By: Slam

After Minnesota Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis showed up at the Greek League Championship rumors started to swirl about Panathinaikos center Nikola Pekovic making the jump to the NBA next year.  Panathinaikos is currently tied 1-1 in a best of 5 series with Olympiacos for the Greek title.  This year the 6’11” center averaged 12.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in the Greek League.  Panathinaikos had a disappointing Euroleague finish when they could barely win in the Top 16 and eventually ended their season there after hoisting the championship trophy last year.  Before Nikola makes this big decision about what to do next season, let’s weigh the pros and cons for him so he makes the right choice.

Playing for Minnesota Timberwolves

Pros

  • You get to try your hand in the world’s best basketball league
  • As a 2nd round draft pick you are not entitled to stay in the confines of the 1st round pay scale and can negotiate a contract of your liking
  • The Mall of America is a great place to shop for your new American wardrobe
  • You practice with Kevin Love and Al Jefferson everyday to try and master some of their offensive techniques
  • By being on a young and not very good team with a new coach you have an opportunity to play a bunch of minutes
  • Jonny Flynn needs tutoring help to finish his minor in Montenegrin language
  • Instead of trying to defend a Ricky Rubio alley-oop, you’ll be on the receiving end of some soon enough
  • You will always get paid on time and no it doesn’t matter if the team lost and you had a bad game
  • Brian Cardinal will keep asking but make sure he knows the ban on not letting him play in Europe still stands
  • You can ride your snowmobile to home games
  • The new Timberwolf  tattoo on your arm will look very intimidating
  • Oleksiy Pecherov and you will become best friends
  • You get to be on the same continent as Slam and Freaknick!

Cons

  • You’re leaving the friendly confines of Europe to play in the mysterious America
  • A large increase in games means you need to get in much better conditioning to last a whole NBA season
  • In Europe you’re a star, in America your unknown
  • You’re trading the amazing beaches of the Greek Isles for the snowy tundra of Minnesota
  • You leave the team you won a Euroleague championship with and where you cemented yourself as one of Europe’s most feared big man
  • You’re no longer the biggest guy on the basketball court with other NBA bigs matching your size
  • Minnesota is located in America but it will seem like Canada and everyone has a Canadian accent
  • You won’t be getting a Panathinaikos tattoo
  • Phone charges to call Europe are going to be astronomical
  • You might want to watch some European basketball on TV, but it won’t be possible
  • You could have an NBA career like Igor Rakocevic

There is no definitive way to know exactly what Nikola should do but he can try testing the new waters of the NBA or keep swimming along in Europe, it’s up to you Nikola. But that tattoo would be pretty badass.