MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves spent the offseason loading up on point guards as if they were stocking a fallout shelter during the Cold War.They drafted Ricky Rubio with the No. 5 pick, Jonny Flynn at No. 6 and Ty Lawson at No. 18, although Lawson soon was shipped to Denver. Then, with Rubio electing to remain in his native Spain, they signed free agents Ramon Sessions and Jason Hart and traded for Antonio Daniels, although Daniels won't join the team.
The chaos has settled, and Flynn has become Minnesota's starter. The reviews so far are mostly good, and credit Flynn for realizing how difficult it is to learn to become an NBA point guard.
"It's definitely a tough situation,'' Flynn said in an interview with FanHouse. "It's the toughest position on the floor to be a rookie. First, a guy has to have leadership and to have everybody on the same page.''
It might help Flynn that it's not as if he's trying to tell a bunch of seasoned veterans what to do. Flynn, 20, is the youngest player on the team, but key Minnesota players Al Jefferson (24), Sessions (23), Corey Brewer (23) and Kevin Love (21) also only recently moved on to solid food.
"That definitely makes it a lot easier that some of your peers are the same age,'' Flynn said. "When you bark on somebody 35 years old, he might be looking at you as 'you're young enough to be my son' or something like that.''
"He has a great ability to change directions, to shift gears, to change speeds. It's just very difficult for players to be able to do that and he can do that."
- Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis Of the eight top scorers in the preseason for the Timberpups, all are 27 and younger. You better believe this is a youth movement, which is why new coach Kurt Rambis only would take the job if he got a long-term contract. He did, getting a four-year deal with a fifth year that is a team option.
With Rubio remaining in Spain, the keys to the offense have been handed to Flynn. Or, make that, the reins to the Wolves' sled.
"He's been terrific,'' Rambis said of Flynn. "He has a great ability to change directions, to shift gears, to change speeds. It's just very difficult for players to be able to do that and he can do that. He's still learning the most difficult position in the NBA, and coming out of school early (after his sophomore season at Syracuse) he has that much more information to gather.''
In six preseason games, Flynn is averaging a solid 13.8 points. But his assists-to-turnover ratio is 4.2 to 2.8, so there's obviously some learning to do.
In the first quarter of Tuesday's game at Denver, Flynn shot 4-of-5 and scored nine points as Minnesota trailed just 31-28. But Flynn was mostly paranormal the rest of the game, shooting 0-of-2 for four points as the Timberwolves were walloped 129-100.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the game for Minnesota was Flynn being paired with Sessions for the first 3:13 of the fourth quarter. Excluding a three-second stint in one game, it was their first such pairing of the preseason.
It didn't go too well as the Timberwolves were outscored 14-5. It's no wonder Rambis has said the pairing of the two young point guards hasn't looked too good in practice.
But one assumes the Timberwolves will want Sessions, who signed a four-year, $16.4 million offer sheet last month as a restricted free agent that Milwaukee didn't match, to get minutes this season beyond just backing up Flynn.
"I think it will definitely work out,'' the 6-foot Flynn said of being paired with the 6-3 Sessions. "I would love it to. He can create so much and I can create for myself. That will be a deadly combination.''
Perhaps it will offer a preview of how gung-ho the Timberwolves will be about keeping Rubio or whether they will seek to trade his draft rights. Minnesota president David Kahn, after all, has said regularly that Flynn and Rubio can play together.
As for Flynn, he's getting some good reviews from some respected players.
"He's a good player,'' said Toronto point guard Jose Calderon. "He's got good moves. He's strong. As a rookie, the first year is always the toughest one. But he's talented.''
"He's fast,'' said Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony. "He's quick and can score the basketball. He's going to be a good point guard.''Anthony, though, is biased. Prior to Flynn's selection, Anthony, who went No. 3 in 2003, was Syracuse's last lottery pick.
Anthony and Flynn developed a rapport after Flynn joined the Orangemen in 2007 and debuted with 28 points to break Anthony's school record for most points by a freshman in a first game. Anthony has dispensed wisdom about playing in the NBA.
"He just told me, 'Take care of your body. Eat right. Get your rest. This is your business. Your body is your business. Take care of it, and you'll have a long career,''' Flynn said.
It's not surprising Flynn has turned to Anthony for some NBA advice. At 25, he's a wily veteran compared to most of Minnesota's players.
Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.
