Kurt and Shareef: Starting for the Sake of Trade? 10/15 -
2:58 PM

Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Kurt Thomas are two forwards who have been members of the rumor mill, as their careers in Portland and New York appear to be winding down. Both are starting but are they starting to increase their trade value?

Blazer head coach Maurice Cheeks sent a starting lineup of Damon Stoudamire, Derek Anderson, Abdur-Rahim, Zach Randolph and Theo Ratliff onto the court Wednesday, and Darius Miles said after the game that he thinks that will, and should be, the starting five when the season opens Nov. 3 at Golden State.

"I think that was our starting five for the season," Miles said. "At least for the first half of the season. I think that's what we are going to roll with."

There is speculation that the Blazers promised Abdur-Rahim the starting job in the offseason, which will allow him to bolster his value for a possible midseason trade.

Kurt Thomas is also starting despite trade rumors. It is possible that Lenny Wilkens and Isiah Thomas have decided upon that because they want to move Thomas to make room for Mike Sweetney, a second year power forward, whom they're very high on.


----From RealGM wireTap

It's a tough deal because KT is a stabilizer. The last thing I think the Knicks want to do is de-stablilize a fragile frontcourt. I am a proponent of selling him, but just like anything in this world--prices go up when you see that type of production. Right now the price isn't cheap and it might be to pricey for other teams.