Suns claim Luis Scola

Recently amnestied, now ex-Rocket forward Luis Scola, has been claimed by the Phoenix Suns. Recent buzz had indicated that the Dallas Mavericks were interested in Scola and intended to make a strong bid, despite the recent acquisition of Elton Brand through the same process.

Scola, who is a fine player, seemed a somewhat odd choice as a Mavs' target, given that his contract has three years remaining, and required a bid of at least $3.3 million(and, remember, players claimed via amnesty cannot be traded for a year). It would have been a less than ideal fit, basketball-wise, and a sudden departure after so many short-term acquisitions.

Speaking of which, Dallas, thanks to the surprisingly low winning bid of $2.1 for Elton Brand, still have enough space to make a decent acquisition(or two, with the room exception also still at their disposal). Jose Calderon remains unhappy and un-amnestied in Toronto, and if that is too rich a proposition for Dallas' liking, there are also several unclaimed sharpshooters on the market. Stay tuned.