Does this make the NBA really awesome or really stupid?

With the NBA trade deadline on Thursday fast approaching, I was perusing some of the rumors that are floating around and I ran into this little tidbit:

‘The hottest name at the trade deadline? A guy who hasn’t played a game this season: Raef LaFrentz of the Portland Trail Blazers.

“If you asked owners in the league who they’d rather have right now, LaFrentz or Stoudemire, I think more than half of them would prefer LaFrentz,” one executive told me. “That’s how screwed up this thing has been. I guarantee you [Blazers GM] Kevin Pritchard has gotten better offers for LaFrentz than the Suns have gotten for Stoudemire.”‘

Chad Ford’s story

Roy Williams and Kansas probably wouldn't have traded this guy for a 16 year old Amare in 1998

So let me get this straight. Raef LaFrentz is a more valuable commodity in the NBA than a 26 year old All Star who has averaged 20 points a game every year he’s been healthy since his rookie season (granted, he plays no D)? Raef LaFrentz?!?!? The guy who has not played since April 16, 2007? And it’s not like he’s Gilbert Arenas, who’s really good but has been hurt lately. His averages in 06-07 were 1.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, and .4 assists!!!!

I know all about this “expiring contract” nonsense in the NBA, but this is still hilarious to me. It’s like the Blazers GM, Kevin Pritchard, is playing NBA Live 08 and he found a glitch in the game where every other GM in the league mysteriously loves some garbage player in trades. It looks like the Blazers are going to be able to get Gerald Wallace or Caron Butler for LaFrentz…unreal.