Ronald Dupree said he was excited about his 4 a.m. wake-up call Tuesday.

He couldn't wait to catch his flight from Detroit to the Twin Cities and start his career as the newest member of the Timberwolves.

His first practice ended with Dupree shooting jump shots well after his teammates had finished and walked off the Target Center court.

The Wolves on Monday traded a future second-round draft pick to the Detroit Pistons for Dupree, a 6-foot-7 forward who is with his third team in as many NBA seasons.

The Wolves, who open the regular season tonight against the visiting Portland Trail Blazers, plan to use Dupree off the bench as a perimeter defender once he gets adjusted.

"I'm just looking to contribute in defense and transition, any way they need me to," Dupree said. "We've got enough scorers on the team already. I'm just going to come in and pick my spots and bring more athleticism to the team."