CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- With too many young big men already on their roster, the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday traded J.R. Reid to the San Antonio Spurs for Sidney Green and first and second-round draft choices.
Reid, Charlotte's No. 1 pick in 1990 from North Carolina, had lost his starting job and was playing behind rookie Alonzo Mourning, last season's Rookie of the Year Larry Johnson and Kenny Gattison.
In addition to Green, a nine-year NBA veteran, the Hornets will also obtain San Antonio's first-round pick in 1993, 1994 or 1995 and the Spurs second-round pick in 1993 or 1996.
The Spurs needed to acquire a more versatile big man after Antoine Carr suffered a separated right shoulder Tuesday night against the Utah Jazz.
The Hornets have dealt their first two No. 1 picks. Rex Chapman, Charlotte's first-ever draft choice in 1988, was traded to the Washington Bullets for Tom Hammonds on Feb. 19.
'I feel J.R. is a capable player and he has proven to have the talent to play in this league,' Hornets owner George Shinn said. 'But when you get players like Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning, it's tough on a player like J.R. because he needs his minutes in order to get better. J.R. had the talent, but it came out in spurts. I remember before I started this franchise, Julius Erving told me if he was building a team, J.R. Reid was the first player he would get. This is when he was a freshman at North Carolina.
'But it just didn't fit. I think what we did is best for the Hornets and J.R. Reid.'
Reid leaves the Hornets as the team's all-time leading rebounder with 1,580. He averaged 10.9 points and 6.9 rebounds in 230 games. By being traded, Reid earns a 10 percent salary increase. He will make $1.25 million this year and $1.6 million next year. Over the next four years, Reid will average $1.8 million. Green's salary is $1.2 million this year and $1.5 million next season.
'There just weren't any minutes left in Charlotte because there were a backlog of big men,' Reid said. 'If I was going to be traded, San Antonio was one of my first choices.'
Green is a much-travelled NBA forward who has played for the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic and the Spurs. He averaged 7.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in 640 games.
'The trade didn't make a difference to me, but it would have been nice to have a chance to win an NBA title with San Antonio,' Green said. 'The Spurs are a team that has the ability to win an NBA title. The Hornets are an up-and-coming team, with great players like Alongo Mourning, Larry Johnson and Kendall Gill. They have a chance to become a team of the future.'