"Timberwolves guard Jonny Flynn missed October's preseason trip to South Dakota because of that hip injury, but he refuses to be deprived of the Sioux Falls experience.

He'll be there Friday to play with the D-League's Skyforce in what is the next step toward his return from July surgery.

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

That reason is his first game action since April. He hopes to play 35 minutes against the Iowa Energy, and, if all goes well, he could play his first NBA game next week. There's also a chance he could play as many as three D League games.

"I'm excited just to get back out there," said Flynn, who has been practicing for the past month. "I just want to get a game feel. Go out there and just play as long as I can play, as hard as I can play and see how I respond to that."

Flynn will practice with the Wolves on Thursday afternoon in San Antonio, then fly to Minneapolis and on to Sioux Falls. He said he prefers to debut by playing a full game rather than play shorter minutes at NBA speed right away.

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

Flynn said he "highly, highly, highly" doubts whether he could play a NBA game as soon as Saturday's home game against Cleveland.

"We want him to get very comfortable out there," Wolves coach Kurt Rambis said. "And we also want him to be in a situation when he does come back, he's coming back for good.""