VG SORRY TO SEE HIM GO
By MARC BERMAN
July 24, 2003 -- Jeff Van Gundy wishes the Timberwolves were in the East. That way he wouldn't have to contend with a revamped Minnesota squad that landed Latrell Sprewell last night for peanuts (backup center Marc Jackson and Terrell Brandon's contract).
"I think they should be in the East," said Van Gundy, who now rules the Rockets. "They have a nice team. To get those two guys, Sam Cassell and Sprewell and not give up a core player, that's very good."
Van Gundy saluted Sprewell's five-year Knick stint last night after the Knicks officially sent him packing to the Twin Cities in exchange for Keith Van Horn in a four-team blockbuster.
"He had a great run in New York," Van Gundy told The Post last night. "The thing I most admired, a lot of people get second chances and do nothing with it. He made the most of it."
Van Gundy used to call the Knicks' having two shooting guards in their starting five as "a structural flaw."
"The thing I thought Latrell did best was when he played for us he did what it took to win, whether that meant playing out of position, passing the ball to others," Van Gundy said.
Knicks GM Scott Layden believed the Houston-Sprewell marriage had run its course and now have a well-sized small forward in Keith Van Horn, who is 6-10, five inches taller than Sprewell.
Knick fans may have trouble understanding the trade, mostly because of Sprewell's popularity.
"The player he replaced in John Starks was also in that realm of very, very popular," Van Gundy said. "The more emotional players who are very good are the most popular."
When Sprewell arrived in a trade before the 1999 lockout season, his arrival was seen as a gamble because of the P.J. Carlesimo choking incident. "Truly I wasn't concerned," Van Gundy said. "I always maintained the trade was not a difficult decision . . . Contrary to what others say, he was easy to play with, easy to coach."
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