Walker leaves Miami for Minnesota in five-player deal

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Three-time All-Star forward Antoine Walker has been traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves by the Miami Heat in a five-player deal, the Wolves announced Wednesday.

Walker, who helped Miami clinch the 2006 NBA title, was acquired along with center Michael Doleac, forward Wayne Simien, a first-round draft pick and financial considerations.

In exchange, the Wolves sent former Miami guard Ricky Davis and center Mark Blount to the Heat.

The 31-year-old Walker, a veteran of 11 seasons in the NBA, moves to Minnesota after a checkered career in Miami where he did not always satisfy head coach Pat Riley's lofty fitness standards.

However, the forward's conditioning did not worry Kevin McHale, vice-president of basketball operations for the Wolves.

"Pat Riley's idea of conditioning and (that) of the rest of us is a little different," McHale told the Wolves official website (www.nba.com/timberwolves). "I'd say he's probably in pretty good shape."

Wolves head coach Randy Wittman is banking on Walker adding more flexibility to his team.

"In the past he's had the ability to create mismatches because of his style of play," Wittman said. "He's not a post-up player; he's a spacer that at the four spot can space the floor.

"He gives us another guy that can play two positions but I can't really put an emphasis on that until he gets in here."

Walker, whose NBA career has included stints in Miami, Boston, Atlanta and Dallas, averages 18 points per game in 847 appearances.