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NBA Rumors: Mavericks Interested In Luis Scola

Make that two undersized power forwards the Dallas Mavericks are chasing in the amnesty process, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas is reporting that the team is planning on pursuing Luis Scola if they miss out on Elton Brand.

However, there are substantial differences between the two players contracts, as Brand is entering the last year of his deal while Scola still has 3-years and $21 million left on his.

That's a big difference to the Mavericks, who are trying to hoard their cap room in 2013 as much as they possibly can. As a result, there's a good chance the team doesn't submit a bid through the amnesty waiver process, instead hoping that Scola's hefty price tag will have to be eaten by the Rockets and the team can offer him a smaller one-year deal in free agency.

At this point in his career, Scola, a jump-shooting big man who struggles defensively, is an inferior version of Elton Brand, who himself is a smaller and less useful version of Chris Kaman.

Both Scola and Brand are basically insurance in case Kaman once again struggles with his health, as a three big man rotation that featured either player with the Mavericks starting front-court of Dirk and Kaman would be a huge defensive liability.

For all the latest news and notes on the Mavericks free agency plans, stay tuned to the SB Nation Dallas story-stream as well as Mavs Moneyball.

Photographs by jamesbrandon, jdtornow, phlezk, flygraphix, mcdlttx, tomasland, and literalbarrage used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.