by Kent Sterling
The Phoenix Suns are rebuilding, and if reports on espn.com are accurate, have no use for 33 year-old power forward Luis Scola.
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Scola has been dealt, according to reports to the Indiana Pacers for “Launch Ready” Gerald Green and future draft considerations.
Not the player he used to be at 33, Scola still had a bit of a bounce back season in 2012-2013 for the Suns. A reduction in minutes should help Scola stay strong throughout the season.
Last year, playing 26.6 minutes, Scola averaged 12.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He’s not a great defender on stretch fours and doesn’t block shots, but he does what he does quite well, and that is working the left block as a scorer.
Gerald Green will not be missed by Pacers fans, who loved him when he made shots and hated him when he missed. Unfortunately, Green hit only 364% of his shots.
Team President Larry Bird’s goal entering the offseason one month ago was to beef up the second unit, which now stands as C.J. Watson at the point, Lance Stephenson at the two, Chris Copeland at the three, Luis Scola at the four, and Ian Mahinmi at center. That’s several levels better than what led to the Pacers doom in the seven game loss in the Eastern Conference Finals to LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
The rest of the show today will be devoted to the Brickyard 400 and today’s opening of camp for the Colts.
Fox 59 sports director Chris Hagan and I will host “Ahead of the Curve” from 11a-2p from Pagoda Plaza at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, so if you’re out at the track for the Nationwide race and Sprint Cup quals, stop by and say hello.