At the beginning of January, Andrew Bynum was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Chicago Bulls and then promptly waived and released. While the Bulls and no other NBA team wanted to pay the center the $6 million remaining on his contract for the remainder of the season if he was on an NBA roster, once he was a free agent able to sign at a lesser amount, interest certainly picked up.
That interest culminated in Bynum signing a deal with the Indiana Pacers for the remainder of the season. While it is unknown the exact value of the deal, it is assumed that it is for more than the league minimum. The move strengthens an already formidable Indiana front court, and Bynum will back up Indiana’s emerging star Roy Hibbert. With David West, Ian Mahinmi, Luis Scola and Chris Copeland also available, Bynum will not be forced to play too many minutes on his troublesome knees. He also brings valuable NBA Championship experience to Indiana. The move also has the added benefit of keeping Bynum away from the rival Miami Heat, a team that could certainly use all the help they can get at the center position.
“It really wasn’t a hard decision, I think it’s the right fit for me and, in all honesty, I think we’ve got the best chance of winning,” Bynum said in a statement released by the Pacers. “It will be great to back up Roy and I’ll do whatever I can to help this team.”
“We are obviously happy to have him join our team,” Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird said in a statement. “He gives us added size, he is a skilled big man and he has championship experience. With the minutes he gets, he should be a valuable addition.”
Bynum, signed with Cleveland in the summer. He missed all of last season after having surgery on both knees, and while with the Cavs he has shown some flashes of the dominant big man he was with the Los Angeles Lakers prior to the injuries. However, those flashes were come few and far between. Through 24 games with the Cavaliers, Bynum is averaging 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. He appears to be strictly a role player and depth add at this point. However, with the way Indiana has played this year adding depth
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