s3231
Posts: 23162
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Joined: 1/16/2004
Member: #544 USA
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Knicks shopping Kurt Thomas around the league Saturday, May 29, 2004 By AL IANNAZZONE STAFF WRITER
"Kurt Thomas will be in New York next week for a community appearance and to have surgery on his right pinkie. But the power forward may not be back with the Knicks next season.
Team president Isiah Thomas is shopping Kurt around the league and has already had discussions with the Portland Trail Blazers about acquiring forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim, a league official said.
Since there is almost an $8 million difference in the two salaries, the Knicks would have to add more players to the deal. Moochie Norris and Othella Harrington are the other Knicks being mentioned along with Kurt Thomas.
But Portland isn't talking only to the Knicks about the 6-foot-9 Abdur-Rahim. The Nets are also involved in discussions for the former All-Star, with Kerry Kittles one of the players New Jersey would have to give up.
Portland has been trying to move Abdur-Rahim because of emerging forward Zach Randolph. Abdur-Rahim, who averaged just 10 points in 32 games with the Blazers last season after scoring 20.1 in 53 with the Hawks, didn't fit well in Portland after he was acquired for Rasheed Wallace.
Before the February trading deadline, Isiah Thomas nearly traded Kurt to the Spurs for Malik Rose. That deal fell through, and Kurt Thomas was given a four-year, $28 million extension that includes a 20 percent trade kicker. That may make him hard to move, but Kurt has value around the league and Isiah will keep trying to trade him.
Thomas wants to assemble a younger, more athletic team than the one he inherited when Scott Layden was fired in December. Thomas acquired Stephon Marbury in January, and then traded Keith Van Horn and Michael Doleac for Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed in February.
Kurt Thomas, Harrington, Dikembe Mutombo, and Shandon Anderson are among the Knicks on the endangered-species list.
KNICKS BRIEF: Shooting guard Allan Houston, who missed 24 regular-season games and all four playoff contests against the Nets with a bone bruise in his left knee, continues to rehab the knee. Houston has gone back to Massachusetts for water-therapy treatment. There is no plan for surgery at this point."
Rahim would be a nice upgrade at the PF position but I think there are other players that we should be trying to get first. I think our first priority should be adding Erik Dampier and then maybe thinking about the PF position (worst comes to worst Sweets can start). I like Rahim but he is a little "soft" and I don't really think he is the type of player we should be going after. Don't get me wrong Rahim is a very talented player and I wouldn't mind acquiring him but we should be going after guys that have a real passion for the game. If we do get Rahim though for KT, Othella, and Moochie, that would be a nice deal for us. Any comments?
"This is a very cautious situation that we're in. You have to be conservative in terms of using your assets and using them wisely. We're building for the future." - Zeke (I guess not protecting a first round pick is being conservative)
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