Basketball-wise, keeping Sacre over Upshaw is a mistake, but there is more to it than that
Rim protection in the NBA is invaluable. Every team that hopes to contend for a title needs to have a big man patrolling the paint that can erase mistakes from perimeter defenders. The Golden State Warriors have Andrew Bogut, the Los Angeles Clippers have DeAndre Jordan, the Cleveland Cavaliers have Timofey Mozgov, the Houston Rockets have Dwight Howard, the Thunder have Serge Ibaka, and the trend is clear.
The Los Anegles Lakers, after struggling for a few years to find a paint-protecting giant, were able to snag Roy Hibbert from the Indiana Pacers.