The Timberwolves have been very happy with their rookies this season. Point guard Jonny Flynn has been starting since day #1 for the T-Wolves and he seems to be getting better every day. Flynn has played in 58 games (all starts) for the Timberwolves this season and he is averaging 29.2 minutes, 13.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game. I fully expect Flynn to keep getting better as time goes by especially if the T-Wolves upgrade the roster. Shooting guard Wayne Ellington has been solid off the bench for the Minnesota T-Wolves this season. He has played in 56 games (1 start) for the Timberwolves this season and he is averaging 17.8 minutes, 6.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. Ellington could force his way into the starting lineup down the road if he keeps improving.

Darko Milicic looked pretty sharp in his debut for the Timberwolves. He played 19 minutes in his first game for the T-Wolves and he scored 8 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, dished out 2 assists and he rejected 1 shot. If Milicic keeps playing like he did in his debut with the Timberwolves they will find more minutes for him. It has been reported that Milicic wants to go back to Europe to play after this season but maybe he would change his mind if he had some success the rest of the year with the T-Wolves.

The Timberwolves have acquired 24-year old power forward Darko Milicic from the Knicks for 32-year old forward Brian Cardinal. Milicic was deep in Mike D’Antoni’s Dog House in New York but the T-Wolves will give him a fresh start and another opportunity to prove himself in the NBA. Milicic has played in only 8 games (0 starts) this season for the Knicks and he averaged 8.9 minutes, 2.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. He has now played in 345 games (98 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 17.0 minutes, 5.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. Brian Cardinal was looking like a player nearing the end of the line in his NBA career this year for the T-Wolves. He played in 27 games (0 starts) for the Timberwolves this season and he averaged 9.0 minutes, 1.7 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. The T-Wolves really had nothing to lose in making a trade like this one.

The Timberwolves all of a sudden have 2nd year power forward Kevin Love coming off the bench despite him putting up great numbers. It’s no wonder that the Timberwolves are losers as they almost never start their best five players for some reason. Love has played in 33 games (20 starts) for the T-Wolves this season and he is averaging 29.7 minutes, 14.9 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. The Timberwolves usually have an advantage inside when Kevin Love and Al Jefferson are playing together so why wouldn’t you want that right from the start of the game?

3rd year shooting guard Corey Brewer is finally stepping up this season for the T-Wolves. He has played in 51 games (all starts) for the Timberwolves this season and he is averaging 31.1 minutes, 13.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Brewer is also shooting 43.7% from the floor this year and if he keeps it up it will easily be the best shooting season of his NBA career.

Veteran small forward Brian Cardinal is doing nothing to help the T-Wolves this season. He has played in 25 games (0 starts) for the Timberwolves this season and he is averaging 9.2 minutes, 1.7 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. Cardinal’s ususally been a good shooter in his NBA career but not this year as he is hitting only 38.2% of his shots from the floor and 33.3% of his shots from three point range. Look for him to continue to ride the pine unless he gets his shooting stroke back.