Glenn Robinson III, the final player to make the Timberwolves' 15-man roster, said Tuesday that he deserves the spot and will do whatever it takes to keep it.
"It feels good," said Robinson, the rookie small forward. "I think I worked hard for it. Nothing was given to me. I came in with a mind-set of making this team and this roster."
Robinson won the final spot when the Wolves, intent on developing its young roster, negotiated a buyout and then waived veteran guard J.J. Barea. But on a team deep at small forward, Robinson won't get a lot of playing time. So Robinson and the Wolves will have to figure out the best way to continue his development.
One option is to give him time in the NBA's Development League. But, in the Wolves' case, that's tricky. Minnesota is one of 13 teams with an affiliation with the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Mad Ants, so guaranteed playing time even at that level might be a problem. The other option is to have Robinson stay with the big club, learning by watching and practicing.
"It will be a combination of everything," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said. "The D-League is a different dynamic because of the way the setup is right now. … You don't want him to go down somewhere where he might not play. If we find situations where it's conducive for him to do that, we'll utilize that. If not, he'll be able to practice with our people."
Robinson said he's willing to do whatever the team asks, calling himself "a great learner. … a great listener and observer. I don't see a problem with [either option]. My job will be to learn. If that means [going to the D-League] to get playing time, I'll do what I have to do there. I wouldn't mind that. But being here with these guys, I learn a lot every day, too."
Saunders reiterated his desire to forge a single-affiliation situation with a D-League team, but that will have to wait. Right now the organization is focused on the construction of a new practice facility.
"We're taking it one thing at a time," he said of the D-League affiliation. "But if we did that, we'd like to have something close."
Sticking to the plan
Saunders said he is convinced second-year center Gorgui Dieng's development will allow starter Nikola Pekovic to play fewer minutes. Saunders has said he wants to cut down on Pekovic's minutes in an attempt to avoid the injuries that have hindered him.
Dieng's improvement might make that easier. "He's more confident," Saunders said of Dieng. "He's a little more assertive offensively. He's just going to look more comfortable when he's out there. The leap [from the first season to the second season] is astronomical."
Etc.
• Saunders remained cagey Tuesday about who will start at small forward, rookie Andrew Wiggins or veteran Corey Brewer. "We'll wait and see," he said.
• The first three teams on the Wolves schedule — Memphis, Detroit and Chicago — are known for physical play. Saunders said his young players are in for an early NBA education. "They'll be thrown into the fire pretty quickly here," he said.
