Timberwolves' Pekovic shut down for remainder of season

Nikola Pekovic's injury-riddled campaign has come to an end.

Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders confirmed Monday that the center has been shut down for the remainder of the regular season. 

Pekovic has missed the team's last 10 games with an ankle injury. He was sidelined for two months from November into January with wrist and ankle injuries, limiting him to just 31 games this season.

With nine games remaining for Minnesota and nothing left to play for, the news hardly comes as a surprise. 

Injuries are nothing new for Pekovic, who has struggled to stay on the court throughout his five-year career. That's troublesome for a player whose production dipped considerably this season - he shot a career-low 42.4 percent from the field - and is owed around $36 million through the 2017-18 season. 

Minnesota inked the 29-year-old to a five-year, $60-million contract in 2013. 

Pekovic ends his season with averages of 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in 26.3 minutes per game.