NEW YORK (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves center Nikola Pekovic had surgery to remove bone spurs from his right ankle on Tuesday.

Pekovic’s sore ankle kept him out of eight games towards the end of the season. Dr. Martin O’Malley performed the surgery and Pekovic is expected to make a full recovery and be ready in time for training camp.

The big man from Montenegro enjoyed a breakout season before the ankle injuries started popping up in March. He averaged 13.9 points and 7.4 rebounds and his 56.4 shooting percentage was the second best in the league. He quickly supplanted Darko Milicic as the team’s starting center.

Pekovic finished third in the voting for the Most Improved Player award.

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