Timberwolves will send Shabazz Muhammad to Development League

Minnesota Timberwolves rookie forward Shabazz Muhammad, the former Las Vegas prep star and UCLA standout, will be sent to Iowa of the NBA’s Development League.

Flip Saunders, the team’s president of basketball operations, believes the team’s No. 1 draft pick last spring needs playing time to improve his game. The club, which is preparing to activate veteran forward Chase Budinger from the injured list, expects Muhammad to rejoin the team in a couple of weeks.

“He can play more minutes in those four or five games there than he might all year here,” Saunders said Friday. “No one has seen it, but he has worked hard and he’s gotten better here this year. But he needs to play.”

The 14th overall pick, Muhammad has played only 42 minutes while appearing in 11 of 32 games. He has scored 12 points on four-of-16 shooting.

Coach Rick Adelman said playing time is crucial in developing young players.

“It’s hard when you don’t get to play as a young guy, and he’s always played,” Adelman said.

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Wire and Internet reports contributed to this story