While much of the trade talk this season involving the Lakers has focused on such players as Jordan Hill, Jeremy Lin and even Steve Nash, the stark reality is that Sacre may very well be the best and easiest candidate to move before the NBA trading deadline February 19.
The 25-year-old Sacre has been missing in action much of the season and not because of health. He has been odd-man-out in coach Byron Scott’s heavily loaded front line of big men.
The former Gonzaga center, now in his third season with the Lakers, has seen his playing time dwindle and eaten up by the likes of starter Jordan Hill, backup Tarik Black and power forwards Ed Davis, Ryan Kelly and Carlos Boozer.
In fact, Sacre has not scratched one minute of play in the team's last four games.
Sacre has not helped the Lakers bench, and his absence this past week only reinforces what head coach Byron Scott is thinking about his backup center. For the month of January, Sacre is averaging less than one point in just 11.6 minutes.
Last month, he talked with L.A. Times reporter Mike Bresnahan and expressed his dissatisfaction with the team's record. His comments were prophetic:
We all come from winning backgrounds, whether it's from college or winning championships on a different team. We've all been in winning situations, so I think it is frustrating.
Sacre is healthy and ready to contribute. But he's lost the trust of his coach and it doesn't make sense for the team to pay him to be a cheerleader.
Black, on the other hand, is a younger (23), more versatile player than Sacre, who quickly gained the confidence of head coach Byron Scott upon arriving in Los Angeles after being waived by the Houston Rockets. Black scored ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
