Houston Reacquired a Veteran Guard From Minnesota
The Rockets obtained Mike James and Justin Reed from the Timberwolves on June 11, 2007, sending veteran power forward Juwan Howard in return. Houston was changing its support around Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady and wanted more guard scoring behind its leading players. Minnesota was preparing for a broad roster overhaul and took on Howard's frontcourt experience. James had previously played for Houston during the 2004-05 season, so the trade also brought him back to an organization that knew his playing style and off-bench strengths.
Howard Never Reached Minnesota's Regular-Season Floor
Howard looked like a plausible veteran presence for a young Minnesota roster, but that forecast never became actual team output. The Timberwolves waived him on October 29, 2007, before the regular season began. His career continued elsewhere, but Minnesota received zero games, points and rebounds from the veteran acquired in June. His earlier productive Rockets seasons and later appearances with Dallas must be excluded from the Timberwolves return. The waived contract is central to understanding why the inherited Minnesota-winning evaluation was not supported by actual basketball production.
James Provided the Rockets With Another Guard Option
James did play for Houston in 2007-08, giving the team additional backcourt scoring and ball-handling coverage. He had been a stronger offensive player in Toronto and Minnesota than he would be during this brief Rockets reunion, but he remained a usable NBA guard. Reed also moved to Houston in the transaction, without establishing an equally substantial role. The organization later traded James again as part of a separate deal, so his following years should not be counted as the June 2007 return. Unlike Minnesota, Houston received regular-season participation from its incoming principal player.
The Waiver Makes the Verdict Hard to Defend for Minnesota
On paper the Timberwolves acquired a respected veteran frontcourt player, and Houston accepted smaller guards in return. The practical results diverged quickly once Howard was waived. Minnesota's side never yielded an appearance, while Houston put James on the floor during a season when it sought to compete in the Western Conference. The Rockets weren't getting their future franchise point guard, and the original deal was not high stakes. Yet the receiving-team evidence is not close enough to call a Minnesota victory. A modest Rockets advantage better describes the transaction.
Final Verdict
Rockets Win. Houston earns B- for receiving Mike James as a playable 2007-08 backcourt option alongside Justin Reed. Minnesota receives D+ because it waived Juwan Howard in October 2007 without one Timberwolves regular-season game. Howard's NBA appearances for other franchises cannot rescue the Timberwolves' original trade return.