MEMPHIS -- So, before shootaround, Flip Saunders sees me with other reporters, and genuflects. He asks whether his boss and Star Tribune owner Glen Taylor has loosened the paper's purse strings to send me to Memphis for the Wolves' opener tonight.

Saunders seemed wired and enthusiastic on Wednesday morning. He also offered large doses of realism when it comes to expectations for his team this year.

Unprompted, he brought up the team's decision to waive veteran guard J.J. Barea, and segued into an explanation of where his young team is.

``We made a decision on J.J., and there are some people, even on our staff, saying, `Hey, J.J. is going to help us win two or three more games,' '' Saunders said. ``I had to say, `Listen, when we made the decision to trade Love, that was the direction we chose. If we're going to try to shortchange that, we're going to hurt ourselves in the long run. This season is about going through the process. It's about developing and blending the players together. It's about finding out what we have in our young guys, what they have to work on in the next year to be where we need to be.

``We're going to go through some nights where we're going to play really well, and we're going to have nights where I'm pulling my hair out.

``I don't think that we can lose sight of the direction. It's not just about wins and losses. I know that's what fans want to hear about, and so do I. Right now, wins are reinforcement for what you're doing, with young players. I'm being a realist.''

Asked about Andrew Wiggins' debut, Saunders used his popcorn analogy _ ``Some players are better when the lights are on and the popcorn is ready.'' I reminded him that I first heard him use that a long time ago about another talented rookie – Stephon Marbury.

``And he was a popcorn player,'' Saunders said.

He's right.

The difference between Marbury and Wiggins is that Marbury wanted the ball in his hands on every possession. Wiggins, despite his gifts, can be passive offensively.

``He's got a lot of potential,'' Saunders said. `` The one thing that's impressed me is he's a team player. Almost, sometimes, to a fault. We're trying to get him to be a little more assertive offensively, and to assert himself in the half court. We all know he's going to be a very good defender, so he's got the opportunity to be a two-way type player. In this league, if your team wants to be good, you have to have two-way players. And if you want to win a championship, your best player has to be a two-way player.''

That's the interesting thing about this team. Saunders is looking to build a champion, but this season is going to represent a traveling classroom. This team might lose 55 games and feel good about its future, if Wiggins develops properly.

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I"ll be on 1500ESPN AT 12:15 from Memphis. Jerry Zgoda and I will be covering the opener tonight for the Star Tribune and startribune.com.