Just as Ricky Rubio stays back in Minnesota to prep for his likely season debut on Saturday night vs. Dallas....

Shooting guard Alexey Shved wore the starter's white jersey in this morning's shootaround and will get his first NBA start tonight against the Pelinets.

He's replacing Malcolm Lee, who the Wolves on Friday announced is out indefinitely with a knee injury that needs more evaluation to determine the next step.

The team said after Wednesday's game that Lee hyperextended his knee against Denver and didn't make the trip to New Orleans.

On Friday, the Wolves clarified, saying Lee sustained a chrondal injury in his right knee.

Chrondal is a degenerative condition involving cartilage damage.

Lee underwent knee surgery twice in 2011, the second one after he re-injured the knee in training camp pretty much cost him his rookie season and kept him out of Vegas Summer League last July.

For Shved, this probably is the start of something new and permanent for him, particularly if Rick Adelman decides to start Rubio alongside him as soon as Saturday.

Also, Josh Howard said after shoot that he's ready to play after missing Wednesday's game with an illness that sent him home to watch the game on TV.

"I couldn't even have run up and down the court," he said about Wednesday.