Ruben Patterson of the Portland Trail Blazers is available for the taking by a team offering expiring contracts according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  Patterson, the self-proclaimed Kobe stopper who in seasons past has been considered a key member of this Blazers squad, is a victim of not enough minutes at the forward spot with Darius Miles and Shareef Abdur-Rahim both expected to be in front of him in the rotation.  

Owed $5.9 million this year and $19 million over the next three, moving Patterson for expiring contracts will offer Portland cap relief in future seasons.

One such team who could be interested in Patterson is said to be the Miami Heat, but the problem for the Heat is it has little to offer, behind, say, a compilation of the contracts of Wang Zhi-Zhi, Malik Allen, Udonis Haslem and Bimbo Coles.

Pacer Ron Artest, a highly talented but unpredictable player, would cost the Heat much more.  They would have to give Indiana Eddie Jones while taking back the contracts of either Austin Croshere or Scott Pollard.