Flynn targets Friday return in D League

Jonny Flynn plans to return from July hip surgery Friday with the Timberwolves' D League affiliate in Sioux Falls.

He said after this morning's shootaround in Dallas that he hopes to play as many as 35 minutes for the Skyforce against the Iowa Energy and if all goes well, he'll make his NBA season debut sometime next week.

The Wolves play at New York Monday, at home Wednesday against Oklahoma City and Friday against Detroit and Saturday at Chicago.

"I'm excited just to get back out there," he said. "Just to get in the flow of things, shaking the rust off. You can't do a lot of things in practice you can in a game situation."

He said he wants to start with major minutes in a D League game rather than limited minutes in a NBA game to test that surgically repaired hip.

"Since I've been back, I haven't had a chance to just full-out play," Flynn said. "I just want to get a game feel: Go out there 35 minutes and just play. Play as long as I can, play as hard as I can and just see how I respond to that.

"I don't think I could get a good evaluation just playing a little bit of time. I think it's going to help. I'm really looking forward to it."

The Skyforce also plays a home game Saturday, but Flynn said he won't play in that one.

He said he "highly, highly, highly" doubts he'd play for the Wolves Saturday at home against Cleveland.

"I don't want to push that," he said. "See how I respond to Friday and then next week hopefully I'll have some more good news."

Flynn missed the team's preseason visit to Sioux Falls for a game there in October.

"I couldn't miss that Sioux Falls trip," he said. "I had to go back. I got to go back. It's for a good reason.