From time to time this season, Timberwolves center Dean Garrett's name has popped up in an out-of-town sports section or on a national Web site as a backup center some NBA club might pursue in trade.

Actually, given Garrett's playing time, his name has appeared as often there as in the boxscores. The 35-year-old center has appeared in 23 of 43 games this season, averaging 5.8 minutes. That's a dropoff from last season, when Garrett averaged 11.9 minutes in 70 appearances, and nowhere near the 32.1 minutes he played while starting all 82 games for Denver four seasons ago.

Still, with the Feb. 21 trading deadline nearing, Garrett has value as someone at the end of a contract, with a $3.24 million salary that will come off the books.