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| December 13, 2007 - 5:29 pm |
SI.com -
At the time of the Kevin Garnett trade, Gerald Green was regarded as a significant part of the deal for the Timberwolves. In Boston, Green had been considered a rising star, a developing shooter who only needed his head to catch up to his freakish athletic ability.
But in Minnesota, the 2007 Slam Dunk champion has been an afterthought. The stat sheet has read DNP-CD (Did Not Play-Coach's Decision) next to Green's name 10 times this season. Part of the problem is the Timberwolves' logjam at Green's position: Marko Jaric, Corey Brewer, Greg Buckner and Rashad McCants have gobbled up the minutes at the small forward and shooting guard spots, with guard Randy Foye likely to regain a prominent role when he returns from a knee injury in a few weeks.
"I don't know what's going on," Green said before Tuesday's loss to the Wizards. "It's a little hard to believe. I'm a good player. It's one of the toughest situations I have been in in my life."
The knock on Green is a familiar one: exceptionally talented but gets into trouble because of poor decisions. With Boston, Green would suffer mental lapses that resulted in a turnover or an open jump shot for the opponent.
Frustrated, Green has approached Timberwolves' Coach Randy Wittman on several occasions to discuss his role. "Coach told me my time would come," Green said. "I just have to stay positive, stay ready."
Said Wittman, "He's got to be patient. We have a lot of guys we're looking at [at his position], and I can't play them all. His opportunity will come." [READ]
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