Raef LaFrentz News

San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan looks to pass against Portland Trail Blazers' Raef LaFrentz during the first half of basketball in Portland, Ore., Sunday April 6, 2008.

WHERE THEY LEFT OFF Following a surprising season and a disappointing postseason , the Portland Trail Blazers entered the off-season in the glorious position of having a bevy of youthful talent perched atop a large pile of expendable cash.

Considering where the depth chart stands at power forward, it hardly comes as a surprise that the Heat is looking at the likes Trail Blazers free agent Shavlik Randolph.

If you follow the moving money trail of the Portland Trail Blazers, it appears to lead straight to David Lee, the Knicks' restricted free agent and one of the few remaining attractive free agents on the market.

The door for NBA free agency opens at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday morning, when teams can begin talking with free agents.

The $9 million owed to Darius Miles limits what Portland can do in free agency this offseason.

'For us to go to the next level, we need to add some veterans.' - Kevin Pritchard, Blazers general manager TUALATIN, Ore.

Amid a wealth of midseason rumors that he was headed to Cleveland in February at the trading deadline, Shaquille O'Neal says another team also was trying to land him -- the Portland Trail Blazers .

The Portland Trail Blazers are rumored to be closing in on Chicago Bulls PG Kirk Hinrich.

Yesterday Ben wrote a great piece on lopsided/asymmetrical trades, made possible by one team being under the salary cap and thus being able to absorb more salary than they send out.