Wolves center Nikola Pekovic has missed 68 games the past three seasons, most of them because of recurring injuries to his ankles and feet.
Coach Flip Saunders hopes second-year center Gorgui Dieng's continued improvement and veteran Ronny Turiaf's good health will allow him to decrease Pekovic's minutes.
"I really welcome that," he said. "It's a long season. So many games. …I think that would help. But you never know, you go out and play well, and your replacements don't play well, coaches will always put you back in immediately.''
But Pekovic, 28, has been trying to find an answer for his ankle and foot problems. He went to Nike headquarters in Portland, Ore., over the summer so he could be fitted for a new shoe. He also tried different types of orthotics and was examined by specialists and physical therapists in an effort to keep his troubled bursa sac happy.
"We maybe found some solutions," he said. "We'll see how it works. You can't say anything until the games start."
Changing roles
Corey Brewer knows his role might change some now that No. 1 overall draft pick Andrew Wiggins is in town.
"We got the No. 1 pick, let's all be real about the situation," Brewer said.
A starter last year, he could come off the bench this season. He acknowledged his defensive style might be a bit more disciplined now that Saunders is the new head coach.
"I'm not going to be as chaotic as I was last year," said Brewer, who was seventh in the NBA in steals last season with 1.85 a game. "But let's make one thing clear: If I'm coming off the bench, I'm going to be chaotic. You only have so many minutes before you're back on the bench."
Still here …
Veteran guard J.J. Barea reported Monday for the final season of the four-year, $19 million contract he signed in December 2011, even if Wolves fans maybe expected he'd have been traded or bought out.
"Oh, no question," Barea said when asked if there's still a place for him on this team after the Wolves signed veteran backup point guard Mo Williams, too. "I see the players and know this team could use me, and I could help them a lot. … I feel great. I feel healthy. I played really good [with the Puerto Rico national team] this summer. My mind's the same. I'm going to be me. I'll come to training camp, play my game and help this team as much as I can."
He's a new man
Chase Budinger showed for Monday's media day and declared himself fully healthy. This time last year, he was headed to Florida for his second knee surgery in 10 months.
"I'm real excited about this training camp, since I haven't been in one in two years," he said.
When asked how much of the real him Wolves fans have seen these past two injury-filled years, Budinger said: "Not very much at all. I've only showed little tiny glimpses of my game here. It's been a rough time since I've been in Minnesota because of the injuries. So hopefully this year will be the year I can show this town and this team how good of a player I am."
Etc.
• The Wolves have until October's end to sign Ricky Rubio to a contract extension. If they don't, he'll become a restricted free agent next July.
"I want to respect that, and I don't want to talk to the media about my contract situation," Rubio said. "My agent's dealing with that."
• New Wolves forward Thaddeus Young says he'll do whatever it takes to win and to prove it, he said this: "I'm an at-all-costs type guy. I'll trip my grandmother up to win a game. Sorry, Grandma."
• Martin played in Oklahoma City with Kevin Durant before coming to Minnesota to play with Kevin Love. And now, Love is gone. "I've always been the second Kevin," Martin said. "Now I'm back to being the first Kevin."
