Age: 35
Years Pro: 8
Status: Free Agent
Key Stats: Averaged 9.4 points on 47 percent shooting while playing 20.5 minutes per game. Played in all but the one game in which he was held out by coach's decision.
The popular tendency is to think Luis Scola should be discarded like an overripe banana, that a 35-year-old power forward is too far past his prime to be signed to another contract.
The problem with that logical viewpoint is that Scola defies logic, not to mention the fact the Pacers have history with a player who performed well beyond the age of 35. You can take that either way – a player who performed well even after he turned 35, or a player who performed (presumably well) way beyond the age of 35.
If age were such a concern for Scola, he wouldn't have played longer and better than in the previous season, and wouldn't have been at his best when he played the most. But he did and he was. And if not for coach Frank Vogel's decision to hold him out of a game against New York in January to give Lavoy Allen some playing time, he would have a streak of 312 consecutive game appearances heading into next season.
PHOTO GALLERY: Luis Scola's 2014-15 Season »
"I never feel bad physically," he said, after scoring a season-high 23 points against Miami on April 5.
That's largely due to his diet that excludes sugar, gluten and dairy – not to mention taste, he jokes. He's never missed even a practice because of illness in an NBA career that began in October of 2007, and he's only missed eight games because of an injury – a hyperextended knee late in the 2010-11 season with Houston. So, his version of 35 years old isn't like that of most players. Some guys can go a long time. Ask Tim Duncan. Scola says he wants to play in the NBA until the last team kicks him out the door, and then might play overseas. Either way, he believes he can play past 40.
The numbers suggest it could happen.
Scola averaged 9.4 points and 6.5 rebounds last season while playing 20.5 minutes per game. That represented improvement across the board from the previous season, mostly because he received more playing time with starter David West missing 16 games. Scola was comfortable with the extra workload. In fact, he thrived with it. When he played more than 30 minutes per game, he averaged 16.5 points on 58 percent shooting, along with 12 rebounds. Unfortunately for him, that was only four games. He played less than 20 minutes in 43 games.
He also played better on the road than at home, statistically, so it's not like he relied on familiarity or friendly fans for his energy. That part of his game was reminiscent of a former Pacers player named Reggie Miller, who by the way averaged 14.8 points at age 39.
The only indication of slippage for Scola is his shooting accuracy. His free throw percentage (.699) was the lowest since his rookie season, and his field goal percentage (.467) was the lowest of his career. That might partially be explained by his role in Vogel's offense, which has him shooting most frequently from mid-range rather than around the basket. Still, his field goal percentage has been in a gradual but steady decline since his second NBA season. Then again, .467 isn't bad for a power forward who often shoots from 15-18 feet.
It's difficult to determine Scola's value on the free agent market. He's productive, has a great attitude and plays hard every time out. But he will, undeniably, be 35 years old when next season opens. He could be a great fit for a playoff team that views him as a missing piece. Pacers president Larry Bird says he wants to bring Scola back, but his financial resources for doing so will be limited. The process will have to play itself out.
Scola would like to stay. He and his wife have four children, and nobody in the family seems to want to leave Indianapolis and start over again in another city. But no matter what happens, he'll be playing next season. Somewhere.
"I don't feel close to the end, that's the truth," he said earlier this month. "I've got energy and I feel I can still do this and I'm still having fun and I can work out hard and play hard every day. As long as all that's still there, I don't see me being close to retirement."
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