According to reports, former NBA center Andrew Bynum has hired representation in attempts of making an NBA comeback and is scheduling team workouts before training camps.
Bynum, now 30, has been away from the NBA for almost four seasons. He was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the number 10 pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. Bynum was named to one NBA All-Star team and was a key factor for the Lakers in their two Champions won in 2009 and 2010.
Knee injuries had always plagued the 7-footer, however, it especially plagued him after departing from the Lakers in the 2011-12 NBA season and decided to take his talents to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Bynum’s final moments in the NBA would come in the 2013-14 NBA season where he would split his time between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers.
Since then you haven’t heard too much about Andrew Bynum. So, him sort of announcing that he wants to make a return is a rather surprising thing.
Bynum once was a double-double machine while with the Lakers. However, he got those number as a back to the basket center. In addition, in today’s NBA, a guy with a skill-set such as Bynum’s is not looked at as heavily as it once was because teams want to play a smaller and more fast-paced style of play.
However, there could be some teams that maybe show interest in Bynum as a backup center or just give him a workout if they’re thin at the center position.
Teams such as the Houston Rockets, who rely on shot blocking and would possibly like someone with Bynum’s ability to come off the bench to replace Capela. In addition, Utah as well as the Indiana Pacers, are thin at the center position and could possibly be in need of Bynum’s services down the line if their main center gets injured.
Yet, there could be one team that would be in need of his services as well… the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to reports, the Lakers have not shown any interest in him. However, the Lakers after buying out Luol Deng through the stretch provision do have one extra roster spot.
In the event that the Lakers don’t plan to play Ivica Zubac or rookie Moritz Wagner, Los Angeles is thin at the center position and will be in need of a backup center for presumed starter JaVale McGee.
With Luke Walton being Bynum’s former teammate and now head coach of the Lakers, it could be possible for Bynum to at least get a workout.
You don’t know what Bynum has left in the tank after sitting out for four years and rightfully so. He’s sat out four seasons and in the time he was playing post-L.A., he couldn’t stay on the floor. But, like in any sport, injuries happen. There are teams that would like to have a defensive enforcer inside.
So even though you say why work out Andrew Bynum, the argument should be… why not?
