Article on Andrew Bynum

Doctors clear Lakers' Bynum
The 7-footer is expected to be ready when the Lakers open training camp in October.

By JANIS CARR
The Orange County Register

Andrew Bynum, who has been out for nearly seven months because of a knee injury, received medical clearance Thursday, putting his comeback on track.

Bynum saw doctors in New York in the morning and was given the green light to start conditioning, his agent, David Lee, said.

Lee reported Bynum doesn't have pain or swelling in the knee and doctors told him there was no need for follow-up visits. The 7-foot center will stay in the New York area for another two weeks to continue his rehabilitation then head to Atlanta, where he will work with his trainer, Sean Zarzana.

Bynum missed the final 46 regular-season games after he suffered a partially dislocated left knee cap in January. He had arthroscopic surgery May 21 to remove cartilage debris and smooth a few rough patches.

"The knee looks wonderful and we are anticipating that within a short period of time, he will start training," Lee said. "The doctors told him the knee was doing better than expected."

Bynum previously said he would be ready to start workouts in July and in shape when training camp opens in October.

Bynum is under contract for next season, but he is seeking a five-year, $80 million extension beyond that. If the sides do not come to an agreement by Oct. 31, Bynum becomes a restricted free agent after next season and the Lakers will have to match any offer sheet he signs.

The Lakers are counting heavily upon Bynum's return to the lineup, especially his bulky presence inside. He averaged career highs in points (13.1) and rebounds (10.2) last season, but has played in just 163 games since being drafted in 2005.

During his only full season, Bynum put up numbers that seemed to justify his spot as the starting center. He nearly doubled the scoring and rebounding averages he posted the previous season and had established himself as a inside threat with his two blocks a game average.Bynum's return could give the Lakers one of the formidable front lines in the league with 7-foot Pau Gasol and 6-foot-10 Lamar Odom, if Odom stays. Bynum would play center, Gasol would move to power forward and Odom to small forward.

Link: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bynu ... oot-lakers

I think the Lakers are a good team, but are one or two players away from being a truly great team.

Honestly, if the Lakers would have had Bynum in the NBA finals I still don't think they would have been able to win it all. Yes, one of their main problems was rebounding and interior play, but what do we really know about Bynum?

Games Played/Games Started- 35/35
PPG- 13.1
RPG- 10.1

Really he's only been a uber center for 35 games. Before that he was Andrew Bynum, the center who looked like he was going to trip and fall rather then make it to the other end of the court. The Lakers need player who wont play like kids (see Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol).

Never have I seen a duo in the NBA finals go so weak to the hoop and miss so many point blank shots, and have their confidence destroyed multiple times per game.

I pretty sure LA would have taken the championship if they had Bynum in there.

Wow, he's looking for 16 million a year. I think he's getting cocky.

It can't be determined that his presence in the finals would have won the Lakers the championship, although it would have definitely made it more interesting. He hasn't played one game with Pau Gasol, so we have yet to see how he and Bynum and the rest of the Lakers will meld.

Pdub,

I definitely think that $16 million a year for an unproven kid is a bit cocky. Now if that were Amare or KG or Dwight Howard, I think that amount of money would be justified.

We will see though next year, won't we?

And, what will the Lakers do about Lamar Odom?

bynum has next year to prove that he's worth something of a big contract, but i don't think his value is near 16mil. in fact, not even close. after all he's still unproven, and is just a potential espeically coming out from big injury.

as for lamar odom, i really wish him to be gone b4 the season starts. ron artest would be a better fit only if lakers can land him. odom starting at sg just won't work.

It can't be determined that his presence in the finals would have won the Lakers the championship, although it would have definitely made it more interesting. He hasn't played one game with Pau Gasol, so we have yet to see how he and Bynum and the rest of the Lakers will meld.

Beyond that, I'm not sure his presence alone would have prevented the collapse in Game 4 or the blowout in Game 6. The things that ultimately cost the Lakers the championship wouldn't necessarily have been avoided if Bynum were in the lineup.

odom starting at sg just won't work.

When he has started at sg ever?

About Bynum, I dont think either that he is 16M player, more like 10-12M, if he proves that he can be consistent

odom starting at sg just won't work.

When he has started at sg ever?

About Bynum, I dont think either that he is 16M player, more like 10-12M, if he proves that he can be consistent

my bad, forgot the source, but there was speculation about odom starting at sg since bynum is coming back. phil was considering longest backcourt tandem with odom at sg.

odom at sg where does that put kobe?

I think that would put Kobe at PG and move Derek Fisher to the bench.

Anyway I think that if the Lakers do keep Odom, he's best playing as a SF, in my opinion.

Why would Odom play at SG, and not SF? Do you feel that Radmanovic should start over Fisher?

Bynum is a talented young pure center, but 16 million a year for all his injuries? GTFO Bynum. I think that if healthy, the Lakers would have won the title with Bynum, but I would actually rather have Odom, if I were them.

odom @ sf sounds weak as well too. at least at SG, he'll be around perimetor, irritating opponent with his length. i mean, he can't shoot 3s, and jumpers & free throwz r awful as hell especially in clutch moments. at least radmanovic provided kick out 3 pointer option, but odom at sf can't even provide that. either sg or sf, it'll be same, resulting in failure.

http://thelakersnation.com/blog/2008/06 ... -at-guard/

What Odom does provide is rebounding and play-making. He's the best 6-10 pass first SF in the league, his skill-set as a player rarely can be replicated. His shooting really isn't as bad as most think, back in his Clippers days he wasn't shy at all when shooting threes. In 2000-01 he led the league in 3 point attempts, knocking in 80-253, not the percent you'd like to see, but still an aggressive nature he has never shown in a Lakers uniform.

odom definitely is an above average player almost to all star quality. but i doubt he'll be in need for lakers this upcoming season especially when lakers could get much in return through the trade. because he's such a talented player in his uninque way, lots of teams are interested to land him so that's why there is so much trade talk involving him. lakers already have scoring options in bynum, gasol, and kobe. odom's role will be reduced in scoring wise.

I don't know why they just don't throw Odom in at the point guard position and see what happens.

People who think that Odom can play shooting guard vastly overrate his quickness. A power foward's speed and quickness are vastly different from a shooting guard's. He can definitely blow by power fowards and keep up with the small fowards, but I don't think he'd be fit for playing shooting guard.

It also relegates Kobe to point guard, a role which he could play but I think it would be within the Lakers' best interests to have Kobe share ballhandling responsibilities primarily with someone like Fisher or Farmar rather than Odom as his partner in the backcourt.

It also relegates Kobe to point guard, a role which he could play but I think it would be within the Lakers' best interests to have Kobe share ballhandling responsibilities primarily with someone like Fisher or Farmar rather than Odom as his partner in the backcourt.

i don't think odom at sg means kobe will play a point guard. it will just mean kobe will shift to sf. and yes, i don't think odom has what it takes to be a good sg for the lakers. it seems odom doesn't suit lakers' system at all since and when especially bynum is coming back. well... i guess that's why lakers' management is looking at options involving odom right at this moment. but it's odom that wants to stay and retire a laker, so there's a chance we might witness bynum/gasol/kobe/odom/fisher line up next year. if things don't go as lakers planned, i think odom will be a first laker to be gone next season.

http://thelakersnation.com/blog/2008/06 ... -at-guard/

i don't think odom at sg means kobe will play a point guard. it will just mean kobe will shift to sf.

Would it even matter then? What's the difference between SF and SG?

Isn't the suggestion not really having to do anything with so-called positions but having Odom guard the superior wing/perimeter/SG-SF player to conserve Kobe and hope to take advantage of Odom's length?

i don't think odom at sg means kobe will play a point guard. it will just mean kobe will shift to sf. and yes, i don't think odom has what it takes to be a good sg for the lakers. it seems odom doesn't suit lakers' system at all since and when especially bynum is coming back. well... i guess that's why lakers' management is looking at options involving odom right at this moment. but it's odom that wants to stay and retire a laker, so there's a chance we might witness bynum/gasol/kobe/odom/fisher line up next year. if things don't go as lakers planned, i think odom will be a first laker to be gone next season.

http://thelakersnation.com/blog/2008/06 ... -at-guard/

I was assuming you were talking about a lineup with Radmanovic up front with Bynum and Gasol with Odom and Kobe in the backcourt. As Ben said, making Kobe the small forward and Odom the shooting guard wouldn't really make a difference.

I thought I was the only one that didn't understand the Kobe at SF and Odom at SG logic.

Besides, how would that form "the longest backcourt"? Odom and Fish?

Ideal lineup: Bynum-Gasol-Odom-Bryant-Fisher (although Farmar's penetration is getting better.) So gay.

Maybe they were thinking this lineup:

Bynum - C

Gasol - PF

Radmanovic - SF

Odom - SG

Bryant - PG

with that being said, Odom is a better fit as a SF rather than a SG, in my opinion.

That's the lineup I thought zanshadow was suggesting since he mentioned having Radmanovic providing an option for the kickout three.

Andrew,

Even with that lineup, I think the Lakers still aren't ready to win a title. And I'm a Lakers fan. After Boston carved them up in six games, who knows how Kobe and company will respond this coming season.