Green wants playing time more than slam-dunk title

The Wolves youngster is ready for the slam-dunk contest, but he'd rather be playing big minutes than making big dunks.

By KENT YOUNGBLOOD, Star Tribune

Last update: February 12, 2008 - 1:32 AM

Gerald Green grimaced when the subject was raised.

So, Gerald, you're going to New Orleans this weekend to defend your slam-dunk title during NBA All-Star festivities. Are you ready?

"It's just a dunk contest, you know?" Green said with a shrug of his shoulders after a long workout at the Timberwolves practice facility Monday. "I'm just going out there and defend my title."

Where is the joy? Going to New Orleans should be fun, but it seems Green would rather be somewhere else. Going places, maybe, with the Timberwolves. Getting more minutes -- and more important minutes -- on a team that has spent the season giving extensive auditions to just about anyone healthy enough to play.

It's not news that a lack of playing time has been a source of frustration for the emotive 22-year-old. Reports surfaced last month that Green's agent had asked for a trade.

Green has mixed emotions about getting the chance to soar in front of the country. In fact, he finds it difficult to think about Saturday's competition when he's trying so hard in practice to earn more playing time.

"It's very difficult," he said. "Especially when I feel I should be playing. It's very difficult. But I have to go out there and do [the contest] for my fans and my family and my friends. They want to see me perform.

"Right now, honestly? That's the last of my worries, to tell you the truth, being the two-time dunk champ. That's fine, I would love to be there. But if I could trade that in for something else, I would."

Wolves coach Randy Wittman acknowledges that it has been hard for Green to break into a rotation loaded with combo players.

Green is incredibly athletic. And he has a smooth shooting stroke; he has hit 14 of his past 33 three-point shots (42.4 percent) over his past 17 appearances. But Wolves coaches say they need to see growth in shot selection and on the defensive end.

"He's going to get opportunities with whatever we have left here," Wittman said. "He has to stay focused and ready to play."

Green, the second-youngest player on the roster, wasn't ready to focus too tightly on Saturday's event. Not on Monday afternoon, anyway. But he is a student of the skill. He knows enough about the old days to be able to discuss the nuances between Dr. J's and Michael Jordan's famous dunks from the free-throw line. He thinks Dr. J's was better, because his toe didn't touch the line.

Green has spent some time after recent Wolves practices working on his dunks. He has solicited advice from his friends, family (particularly his brother) and teammates to get ready.

"He's the closest thing to Vince Carter, I think, that there is as far as jumping ability," said Rashad McCants, who has spent time helping Green prepare. "I talk to him about creativity. Not just going in high, but trying to do something wild to incite the crowd. You have to be animated. You have to be something of a character, when you're doing things like that."

Saturday, Green will go up against Dwight Howard, Rudy Gay and Jamario Moon. All four have videos on YouTube.com and on NBA.com in advance of the competition.

But Green didn't even want to talk about that. Seems he wasn't thrilled with the job the crew did shooting his video. His best dunk wasn't filmed right, for example.

"They messed up my video," Green said. "They made it seem like I was kind of being too arrogant or something. They messed it all up. But it doesn't really matter."

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