Wolves recall Malcolm Lee from Sioux Falls

MINNEAPOLIS The Timberwolves announced Tuesday that they recalled rookie guard Malcolm Lee from the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Lee, a rookie out of UCLA, had surgery on Dec. 30, 2011 to repair his torn left meniscus. He rehabbed with the team in Minneapolis until early February, when he was sent to Sioux Falls for three rehab games. In those games, Lee averaged 9.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 25.3 minutes. His first game, on Feb. 7 against Dakota, was his best performance; he scored 16 points and had six assists. Lee's assignment to Sioux Falls marked the first time any of the three NBA teams affiliated with it the Timberwolves, Heat and Magic sent a player to the Skyforce. The team had a 7-21 record when Lee arrived, and it went 1-2 during the two games he was on its roster. I don't think we're getting a guy who's just a rehab assignment; we're getting a guy who can play, Skyforce president Mike Heineman told the Sioux Falls Argus Leader when Lee was assigned to his team. And that's what we need right now. In the weeks before his assignment to Sioux Falls, Lee was practicing with the Timberwolves and looked good in pickup games against his teammates. He said that those games helped him regain his confidence, which he'll undoubtedly need when he makes his NBA debut. Lee was the 43rd pick in the 2011 draft. The Bulls selected him and traded him on draft day to the Timberwolves. In his career at UCLA, he averaged 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Follow Joan Niesen on Twitter.