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Wolves, Rockets complete 3-player trade
By JON KRAWCZYNSKI, AP Sports Writer
Jun 14, 2007 - 7:14:12 PM

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MINNEAPOLIS - As far as Juwan Howard is concerned, his move to Minnesota should have happened four years ago. Back then he was a free agent coming off a big year in Denver, and the Timberwolves were high on his list of suitors. He chose Orlando instead, spending one year there before being traded to Houston.

Houston Rockets forward Juwan Howard (5) goes for two against the Utah Jazz during the first quarter of the NBA basketball game in this April 18, 2007 file photo, in Salt Lake City. The Minnesota Timberwolves acquired frontcourt help for Kevin Garnett, sending point guard Mike James and swingman Justin Reed to the Rockets for power forward Juwan Howard on Thursday, June 14, 2007. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)

"Even though I did not sign with Minnesota, it always was in the back of my mind when I was in Orlando (and) I second-guessed my decision," Howard said. "Nothing against Orlando, but I felt I should have signed with Minnesota."

Finally, Howard is in the Twin Cities. In the first of what could be several moves to shake up its roster, Minnesota shipped disgruntled point guard Mike James and swingman Justin Reed to the Rockets for Howard, and the 34-year-old veteran can't wait to get here to help Kevin Garnett.

Howard grew up in Chicago, where Garnett played his final year of high school before jumping straight to the pros in 1995. The two worked out together in the offseason and became friends.

"He and I have a lot of respect for each other," Howard said in a telephone interview from his son's basketball camp in St. Louis. "Not only that, we're familiar with each other on the court, playing against each other for many years. We both come out and bring our lunch pail to work night in and night out. We're both fierce competitors."

For most of last season, Garnett openly pined for another veteran in the front court, someone to take some of the attention away from him in the post, and some of the burden off him in the locker room.

Chemistry was a problem for the Timberwolves last season, both on and off the court.

"Being a veteran who has spent 13 years in the NBA, I have a lot of experience," Howard said. "That being said, I think it's important for me to come in and be a positive influence in the locker room as well as on the court."

Howard averaged 9.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in just over 26 minutes a game for the Rockets last season, but those numbers jumped to 13.6 points and 6.5 boards when he was inserted in the starting lineup for the 32 games that Yao Ming was hurt.

Timberwolves basketball boss Kevin McHale said Howard is coming to Minnesota to "help stabilize the locker room and help stabilize the team, and it balances out our roster a little bit, so it was a good deal."

Last season, the Wolves had a glut of guards on the roster.

James was a disappointment in his lone season in Minnesota. He signed a four-year, $23 million contract with the Wolves after a breakout year for Toronto, serving as Minnesota's lone notable free-agent acquisition last offseason. The Timberwolves hoped his swagger and sharp shooting would fit in well with a team that needed a fourth-quarter scorer and 3-point shooter.

But the team and the player never meshed. James found it difficult to secure consistent playing time on a team with four point guards — himself, rookie Randy Foye, Troy Hudson and Bracey Wright — and another guy in 6-foot-7 Marko Jaric who fancies himself one. James scored 10.1 points a game, less than half of his output the year before in Toronto.

Unhappy with his spotty minutes, James went to McHale when the season ended to voice his displeasure.

"Mike did not have the type of year that Mike wanted to have," McHale said at a season-ending news conference. "And he didn't fill the role for us that we had hoped that he would fill as far as spreading the court and making those shots."

James' struggles only exacerbated a disastrous season for the Wolves in which coach Dwane Casey was fired and they missed the playoffs for the third straight season.

"I just never really found a niche for myself in that organization," James said. "Because of that, instead of focusing on my game, I was focusing on other things and that affected my game."

The trade brings James back to Houston, where he played 26 games in 2004-05. He nearly signed with the Rockets before last season and loves the area so much that he was planning to build a home in Houston for his family even before the deal was completed.

"To be playing in the same city that I'm calling home now, it's definitely a good feeling," James said. "Being somewhere where I'm wanted and want to be, I'm excited about that also."

James' return also calls into question the status of Rafer Alston, who was badly outplayed by Deron Williams in the Rockets' first-round loss to Utah in the playoffs.

"Obviously, there's more competition for minutes," Rockets GM Daryl Morey said. "He was playing near 48 minutes in the playoffs and there will be some more competition."

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AP Sports Writer Chris Duncan in Houston contributed to this story.


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