Trade has Green flying high again

The Timberwolves transformed Gerald Green from unhappy to ecstatic when they traded him back home to Houston at the trade deadline for Kirk Snyder.

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: February 21, 2008 - 10:05 PM

The Timberwolves transformed Gerald Green from unhappy to ecstatic when they traded him back home to Houston at Thursday's 2 p.m. trading deadline.

The Wolves traded the young guard who has found slam-dunk celebrity but precious little playing time back home to Houston for Rockets swingman Kirk Snyder, a 2010 second-round pick and cash.

Green's agent last month asked the Wolves to trade his client, one of five players acquired from Boston last summer in the Kevin Garnett trade. The Wolves did so on Thursday because basketball boss Kevin McHale said he was "99.9 percent convinced" Green would not re-sign with the team this summer. Green will become an unrestricted free agent in July because last fall, the Wolves did not exercise a fourth-year option on his contract for next season.

"It's like a dream come true," Green told a Houston television station. "Never in my life did I think this would happen."

Wolves coach Randy Wittman said Green, who entered the NBA directly from a Houston area high school in the 2005 NBA draft, became ensnared in a "logjam" of young wing players including Ryan Gomes, Rashad McCants, Corey Brewer and Randy Foye.

McHale said it became apparent in time that Green "probably was farthest away" from being ready to play among all the Wolves' young players.

"The coach is playing a lot of young guys already," McHale said, "and it's impossible to play them all."

Snyder, a physical 6-6 player Wittman projects at small forward, led Nevada to its first NCAA tournament Sweet 16 in 2004, but the 16th overall pick that summer has struggled to find his way in the NBA. A restricted free agent this summer, he is with his fourth team four seasons. He played nine games for the Rockets this season.

Asked if he considered the trade a gamble that might leave fans asking three years from now why the Wolves dealt Green, McHale said, "It could be. In three years, come see me."

Walker still waits

Antoine Walker was inactive for the game on Thursday, when the trade deadline passed and he was still a Timberwolf.

"I'm disappointed," said Walker, a 12-year NBA veteran and former All Star who wanted to be traded to a contender. "It's disheartening. I want to play a lot, and it's obvious I'm not a part of the future here. They're obviously going young and I do understand what they're trying to do. I have to be respectful to that. I wish it never got to this point, but I have to deal with it."

Walker played eight minutes in the first half Tuesday and did not play in the second half.

The Wolves bought the contract of veteran Juwan Howard before the season when they couldn't trade him to a contender. McHale said a buyout of Walker's contract is unlikely and Walker said, "I'm not willing to give up a lot of money." Walker said his trade prospects might change this summer because he'll have only one year left on a contract that will pay him $9.3 million next season.