Pacers look to fortify front line with addition of Luis Scola

The Indiana Pacers, who took the two-time reigning NBA champion Miami Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference finals last spring, are fortifying their front line by trading for versatile and durable big man Luis Scola of the Phoenix Suns.

Scola, a 6-foot-9 power forward, would be added to a lineup that includes a budding star in 7-2 center Roy Hibbert and a former All-Star in 6-9 power forward David West.

[Update, 12:35 p.m.: The Pacers are sending 6-8 guard-forward Gerald Green, 6-11 forward Miles Plumlee and a conditional 2014 first-round draft pick to Phoenix for Scola, a sixth-year player from Argentina who has appeared in 82 games in four seasons and all 66 in a lockout-shortened season.]

Scola’s publicist first leaked the pending deal via Twitter on Friday night.

Scola, 33, has averaged 14.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists a game in his NBA career, five seasons with the Houston Rockets before signing with the Suns as a free agent. He’s also a lifetime 50.4% shooter from the field and 75% from the free-throw line.

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