SHAREEF ABDUR-RAHIM Height: 6-foot-9 Weight: 245 pounds Age: 28 years old Stats: 16.8 points on 50.3% shooting, 7.3 boards in 34.6 minutes Status: Unrestricted Free Agent

Shareef Abdur-Rahim, a career 19.8 points and 8.1 boards a night power forward, has proven to be an extremely gifted player since he was drafted #3 overall by Vancouver in 1996. However the Cal product has been stuck with the "loser" stigma due to having played for 9 years on terrible teams in the Grizzlies, Hawks and most recently the Blazers.

Unlike Stromile Swift and Chris Andersen, Abdur-Rahim is not a terrific shotblocker. For that matter he is not a defensive sparkplug either, but he makes up for that with a very strong offensive repertoire and solid rebounding skills and unlike the other two, leaves no doubt about his ability to start night in and night out.

In 2004-2005, Shareef hit over 50% of his shots to score 16.8 points and grab 7.8 boards, despite undergoing surgery in January to remove bone fragments from his elbow. While not a three-point shooter, Abdur-Rahim demonstrated his great range by hitting 15 of 39 triple attempts.

Rocket Perspective
If the Rockets want a power forward who is not an offensive liability, they can't do too much better than Abdur-Rahim. He can score inside and out and has a soft touch on his shot, as his amazing 86.6% free throw shooting can attest to. While his rebounding was down last year, playing more the three alongside Zach Randolph, he routinely grabbed 8-10 boards a night as a power forward in Atlanta and Vancouver, which the Rocks could sorely use.

Abdur-Rahim also is a true professional and a class act - he wouldn't cause any problems in this locker room.

However, Rocket brass has to ask themselves if Shareef is simply a souped-up model of Juwan Howard, who has career averages of 17.2 and 7.3 boards and has put up the likes of 22 and 8+ playing for bad teams as well. While I don't believe that is entirely the case as Abdur-Rahim is a better rebounder and certainly gives the Rockets a large boost at a position they find themselves weak in, he doesn't provide a big contrast to Howard as the 28-year old forward doesn't create havoc on the defensive end.

You won't find someone who can stop the likes of KG, Duncan, Dirk and Marion, but at the same time Shareef doesn't give Houston much defensively that they don't already have. It's not because he lacks the athletic ability however, and if anyone can turn a ho-hum defender in to a stalwart (see: Mac, T-), it's Jeff Van Gundy.

Conclusion
While Abdur-Rahim is an unrestricted free agent and as such can sign with anyone he wants, Portland is going to have a fire sale deluxe and will likely be flexible on sign-and-trade offers, with Abdur-Rahim, Damon Stoudamire, possibly Theo Ratliff and the non-guaranteed (and large) contract of Nick Van Exel likely trade assets.

Translated: If the Rockets want Shareef and can sell him on Clutch City, the mid-level exemption may not be the route they have to go. Portland could play ball by dealing Shareef with a bad contract (like Derek Anderson) in exchange for 2006 expiring contracts and draft pick(s). That would get Shareef closer to the cash he wants and the Rockets in turn keep the MLE to sign another player.

Would it be worth it? It won't be the Rockets alone asking themselves that as New Jersey, San Antonio, Cleveland and a handful of others are likely to consider the same route.