Last season, the Wolves had a glut of guards on the roster.

James was a disappointment in his lone season in Minnesota. He signed a four-year, $23 million contract with the Wolves after a breakout year for Toronto, serving as Minnesota’s lone notable free-agent acquisition last offseason. The Timberwolves hoped his swagger and sharp shooting would fit in well with a team that needed a fourth-quarter scorer and 3-point shooter.

But the team and the player never meshed. James found it difficult to secure consistent playing time on a team with four point guards — himself, rookie Randy Foye, Troy Hudson and Bracey Wright — and another guy in 6-foot-7 Marko Jaric who fancies himself one. James scored 10.1 points a game, less than half of his output the year before in Toronto.

Unhappy with his spotty minutes, James went to McHale when the season ended to voice his displeasure.

“Mike did not have the type of year that Mike wanted to have,” McHale said at a season-ending news conference. “And he didn’t fill the role for us that we had hoped that he would fill as far as spreading the court and making those shots.”

James’ struggles only exacerbated a disastrous season for the Wolves in which coach Dwane Casey was fired and they missed the playoffs for the third straight season.

“I just never really found a niche for myself in that organization,” James said. “Because of that, instead of focusing on my game, I was focusing on other things and that affected my game.”

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The trade brings James back to Houston, where he played 26 games in 2004-05. He nearly signed with the Rockets before last season and loves the area so much that he was planning to build a home in Houston for his family even before the deal was completed.

“To be playing in the same city that I’m calling home now, it’s definitely a good feeling,” James said. “Being somewhere where I’m wanted and want to be, I’m excited about that also.”

James’ return also calls into question the status of Rafer Alston, who was badly outplayed by Deron Williams in the Rockets’ first-round loss to Utah in the playoffs.

“Obviously, there’s more competition for minutes,” Rockets GM Daryl Morey said. “He was playing near 48 minutes in the playoffs and there will be some more competition.”

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