Jonny Flynn got an early start Tuesday on an ugly Timberwolves tradition: second-year injuries to first-round picks.

Flynn underwent surgery to repair a tear in the labrum of his left hip, an injury that almost certainly will keep him out of training camp and could cost him the first month of the 2010-11 season as well. That makes him the fifth consecutive Wolves' first-rounder to be sidelined by major injury in his second season.

Flynn was hampered by his sore hip in the final few weeks of his rookie season, and even sat out the finale after starting the Wolves' first 81 games. The injury also kept him from taking part in the Vegas Summer League, and he finally decided to have the hip surgically repaired.

Dr. Marc Philippon, a specialist at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colo., stitched up the labrum, which is cartilage that stabilizes the joint, and shaved down part of the hip bone that had been hindering Flynn's movement. The procedure typically requires three to four months of recovery, which means Flynn could be expected to return in early November or December.

Flynn's absence could present an opportunity for former Wolves point guard Sebastian Telfair, who was re-acquired in a trade with Cleveland on Monday, or intensify the franchise's search for another veteran point guard to play behind recently signed free agent Luke Ridnour.

The Wolves appeared intent upon buying out Telfair's $2.7 million salary for next season when they announced that they had traded Ryan Hollins, Ramon Sessions and a 2013 draft pick to Cleveland "in exchange for the player contracts of" Telfair and Delonte West.

West will be released, since the Wolves have to pay only $500,000 of his $4.6 million contract if he is cut by Sept. 5. But with Flynn out of action, Ridnour and Telfair are the only healthy point guards on the roster, so Telfair could be given a chance to earn a roster spot on the team he played two seasons for after being included in the Kevin Garnett trade with Boston.

David Kahn, Timberwolves' president of basketball operations, declined interview requests Tuesday, but said in a statement that "we expect Jonny to make a full recovery."

Old hat for Wolves

At least the Wolves have plenty of practice at playing without their second-year stars. They've been doing it for five straight years now.

The streak began in 2006, when 2005 first-rounder Rashard McCants missed more than half of his second season after microfracture knee surgery. The Wolves' bad luck is unbroken since then: Randy Foye, who played in only 39 games of his sophomore season because of a stress reaction in his knee; Corey Brewer, who tore an ACL in his knee and played in only 15 games his second season; and Kevin Love, who needed surgery after breaking his left hand during a preseason game last October, costing him 18 games.