The Portland Trail Blazers will have interest in Minnesota Timberwolves center Nikola Pekovic during the 2013 summer free agency period according to league sources.

Some team executives around the league has scoffed at the notion that center Nikola Pekovic, who is a restricted free agent this summer, could command $12 million per year on the open market.

While those numbers do seem big for what Pekovic brings, big men are constantly in demand, and the Blazers, in desperate need of one, will have cap space.

If Pekovic doesn’t get $12 million a year, the hunch is he’ll come close. With such a high price tag, if Timberwolves GM David Kahn can find the right replacement, perhaps he might let Pekovic walk.

There is an internal fear exists at Target Center that soon-to-be restricted free agent Nikola Pekovic will be wooed Nic Batum-style next July and handcuff the Minnesota Timberwolves.

via Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN