Lance Stephenson's grade 2 ankle sprain complicates his future with the Timberwolves

Newly signed Wolves guard Lance Stephenson has a Grade 2 ankle sprain sustained Wednesday night against Cleveland, an injury that complicates the future here for a guy whose 10-day contract will expire after tonight's game in Denver.

"I don't know, we'll have to see how responds," Wolves coach and POBO Tom Thibodeau said pre-game tonight. "I like the things he did when he was here."

The Wolves provided no timetable or additional information, but a Grade 2 sprain usually is given to a partial tearin of the ankle ligament and in most cases you're talking weeks of rehabilitation, probable three or four weeks or more.

Stevenson was in intense pain when he stepped on his left ankle wrong and twisted, falling hard to the floor in the process, during Wednesday's second quarter. He was helped to the locker room, did not return to play that night and did not accompany the team to Denver after Wednesday's game.

Tonight's game is the Wolves' last before the NBA's elongated All-Star break. They don't play again after tonight until a week from Friday, at home against Dallas.

I can't imagine Thibs jetted away to too many tropical islands during All-Star break when he was coach. Now that he's president of basketball operations, too, and the trade deadline is coming up next week, he said it's time to "go back to work" over the break, although he did allow he might take the time to go to a couple movies.

New Orleans waived Stephenson in November after he played just six games and then sustained a groin injury that required surgery. The Pelicans released him because they felt they needed an open roster spot to add a healthy player.

Stephenson last week said he understood the Pelicans' decision, but said he considered it a lack of "faith" in him.

We'll see if Thibodeau and Wolves have the patience to keep theirs in him.