F Nemanja Bjelica, who is nearing a return from a right foot strain, remained out.

F Nemanja Bjelica had an MRI performed on his sore right foot on Monday, revealing a strain. Bjelica is expected to travel with the Wolves on their upcoming three-game road trip but will not play. He is considered week-to-week.

F Nemanja Bjelica is inactive for Wednesday's game with a left knee contusion. It's the third straight game he has missed. Bjelica, in his first season with Minnesota, is averaging 7.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game this year.

F Nemanja Bjelica did not play Friday because of a left knee contusion.

F Nemanja Bjelica added 17 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for Minnesota (3-2).

Bjelica started at power forward and scored 12 points with four rebounds in 31 minutes in Monday's preseason loss to Toronto. He was 4-of-7 from three-point range.

Bjelica is averaging 11.3 points and six rebounds in 22.9 minutes per game through three preseason games. He's also 6-of-9 from three-point range in the preseason. It's not clear exactly how many minutes Bjelica will get off the bench, but he could win a sizable role if he can shoot from long range as Minnesota lacks three-point shooting.

Bjelica scored 11 points with five rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes in Wednesday's preseason loss to Oklahoma City. Coach Sam Mitchell praised Bjelica's playmaking ability, but said he needed work on defensive coverages, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Bjelica looked like he had a strong all-around game in his preseason debut, but it's not clear what kind of role he'll have off the bench. It's a good sign he got 20 minutes, although just the first preseason game, but he'll need to improve on defense if he's going to be a significant part of the rotation.

Bjelica impressed teammates with his shooting and passing in Monday's scrimmage, NBA.com's Kyle Ratke reports. "I like him a lot," Andrew Wiggins said. "He's very skilled. He can shoot the ball, amazing passer."

While this is very high praise for the 6-foot-10 Serbian forward, the T-Wolves have so many players on the roster who deserve minutes, specifically in the frontcourt, that it will be hard for Bjelica to carve out a significant role initially.

Bjelica has agreed to a three-year, $11.7 million contract with the Timberwolves, Yahoo! Sports reports.

Bjelica, a 6-10 Serbian forward, was selected 35th overall by Minnesota back in 2010, but has since remained in Europe to develop his skills. However, fresh off averages of 12.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 steals en route to the Euroleague MVP award, Bjelica will leave Fenerbache (Turkey) for the NBA ahead of the upcoming season. At 27 years old, Bjelica boasts great passing skills for a player his size and his outside shooting ability (35 percent on 3PT last season) should also enable him to fill a significant role in the Timberwolves' rotation moving forward.

Bjelica exercised a $1.3 million clause in his contract with his Turkish team, Fenerbahce Ulker, that allows him to leave for the NBA and he's expected to sign a three-year contract with the Timberwolves, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Bjelica was a second-round pick of the Wizards in the 2010 NBA Draft, but he had his draft rights traded to the Timberwolves on draft night. The 27-year-old averaged 12.1 points, 0.9 three-pointers, 8.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 28 minutes per game through 29 game with Fenerbahce for the 2014-15 season on his way to winning the 2015 Euroleague MVP Award. His signing will likely result in the T-Wolves trading a big man this summer.

Minnesota is close to a deal to sign Bjelica to a NBA contract and have him play for the Timberwolves next season, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Bjelica is a 2010 draft pick that Minnesota owns the NBA rights to who is a Euroleague MVP. He averaged 11.9 points and 8.6 rebounds in Turkey last season. It's not clear what role he'd have with Minnesota, but his signing would likely indicate the Timberwolves have other offseason moves in the works.

Bjelica's performance for his Turkish club Fenerbahce Ulker this season has Minnesota, who holds his rights from the 2010 draft, considering signing him for next season, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. "He has proven it this year," T-Wolves president of basketball operations/coach Flip Saunders said. "He has taken his game to another step up, to where he's ready to come over here. He has potential because he's 6-10 or 6-11, but he's very skilled. He's a guy we'll definitely follow."

Bjelica is averaging 11.6 points with 6.2 rebounds per game for Ulker. He signed a three-year deal with his Turkish team in summer 2013 that includes a buyout clause not believed to be prohibitive if he wants to move to the NBA, the Star Tribune adds.

Serbian SF Nemanja Bjelica wants to exhaust the possibility of joining the NBA before signing with a European team this summer.

A rumor out of Russia last week suggested that the Wolves had made an offer to Bjelica, but there is nothing to support that idea. In fact, beat writer Jerry Zgoda has "heard nothing to indicate Flip [Saunders] thinks [Bjelica] or any Euro prospect is NBA ready next season."

Wolves GM David Kahn said he is in discussions to bring some of the team's drafted European prospects to Minnesota in June for evaluations.

Kahn said that one of the players might be ready for the NBA. He didn't mention whom it was, but educated guesswork points to 6'10" forward Nemanja Bjelica. Other prospects the Wolves may work out include second-round picks Henk Norel and center Paulao Prestes.

Timberwolves second-round F Nemanja Bjelica signed a contract with Spanish Club Caja Laboral on Monday.

Bjelica signed for five years, but there is a buyout option to leave for the NBA after two. The athletic and skilled small forward would be 24 if he joins the Wolves in two years. Perhaps they'll also have Ricky Rubio in the flod by that time.