SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2013
Posts Tagged ‘andrew bynum’
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The Philadelphia 76ers say prized offseason acquisition Andrew Bynum will be
out at least five more weeks and probably longer because of continuing compli-
cations with his right knee.
It is the third time since September that the Sixers have pushed back Bynum’s
return date. Bynum had a fresh MRI and saw his personal knee specialist in
New York last week. The Sixers now hope he will be cleared to return to basket-
ball activities by Dec. 10. “It’s better than when it started, it’s just not quite
there yet,” Bynum said. “It’s not where I want it to be.”
But the team said Bynum would then need an additional one to four weeks of
training and conditioning, which means his anticipated Sixers debut may be
on hold until January.
The Sixers are off to a 4-2 start without Bynum and have been without Jason
Richardson because of an ankle injury for the past five games. Richardson was
the other player Philadelphia received in the Bynum trade. “We know the
Sixers fans are eager to see Andrew Bynum play and shine,” Sixers general
manager Tony DiLeo said in a statement. “We also know no one is more eager
to see Andrew play for the Sixers than Andrew himself. He fully realizes the
key contribution he can make to the team. Hopefully, that day is coming soon.”
The “hopefully” part is telling. It has become clear that while the team has
been publicly optimistic and patient, it simply is not sure when the franchise
center will get into a game.
The Sixers already have faced some criticism for trading away All-Star Andre
Iguodala, young prospects Nikola Vucevic and Moe Harkless and a future
first-round pick to get Bynum. The decision is further complicated because
Bynum, who’s had surgeries on both knees and just turned 25 years old, is in
the final year of his contract. The team was hoping Bynum would continue
to play at an All-Star level and prove he was healthy enough to be worth a long-
term deal. With what the Sixers gave up to acquire Bynum, the team is already
deeply invested in him. Bynum announced in May, while he was still a member
of the Los Angeles Lakers, that he was going to Germany in September for the
popular Orthokine blood-spinning treatment. He waited until then, so the plan
went, so the effects of the treatment could be maximized for the start of training
camp in October. Instead, however, the Sixers announced before training camp
that Bynum needed to delay his return to allow the effects of the Orthokine treat-
ment to work. The bone bruise has since further complicated matters, causing
the team to push the return date from training camp to the regular season and
now possibly to midseason. The Sixers did say they were optimistic because
Bynum has been cleared for low-impact exercise and that by next week he may
start work on an underwater treadmill.
“As far as getting better, I think this is the way I need to handle it,” Bynum said.
“It’s tough. I want to get out there, I want to play. It’s just a roller coaster. Ob-
viously, missing games is not good. I want to be out there, I want to be there
with my teammates.”
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Andrew Bynum said he wants to be a big part of the Philadelphia 76ers’ future.
At his introductory news conference Wednesday, Bynum hinted that he is extremely happy
with the blockbuster four-team trade involving Dwight Howard that sent him from the Los
Angeles Lakers to the 76ers. Bynum, eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after this
season, was introduced along with the newly acquired Jason Richardson in a news conference
that was unusual in that it was open to the public. Fans immediately made Bynum feel wel-
come to the City of Brotherly Love with chants of “Andrew Bynum! and “Beat L.A.” as he
walked to the stage. Asked if he was considering signing a contract extension with 76ers,
Bynum got another roar out of the fans by saying, “To be honest, my first experience here’s
been so great, I’m really looking forward to making this my home.” Bynym, who averaged
career hights of 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds this past season, grew up about an hour out-
side of Philadelphia. Unlike in Los Angeles where the Lakers have Kobe Bryant and Pau
Gasol, the 7-foot Bynum will experience one major change with his new team in that the
76ers are expected to run their offense through him. “It’s the next step in my career,” Bynum
said. “I’m excited about this team. Seeing them last year, what Doug (Collins) did with them.
They’re a young team with a lot of energy.” Bynum did confirm reports that he will undergo
an experimental procedure on his knee in Germany. He plans to have the non-surgical treat-
ment, known as Orthokine/Regenokine, in early September. Bynum has been plagued by
knee injuries throughout his career but remained healthy last season. Bynum currently is
not suffering from any knee injuries, but was impressed with the results Bryant experienced
after having the procedure last season.
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Philadelphia 76ers center Andrew Bynum will undergo an experimental procedure on his
knee in Germany, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Bynum plans to have the non-
surgical treatment, known as Orthokine/Regenokine, in early September, the Inquirer re-
ported. The procedure is a derivation of platelet-rich plasma therapy and is the same treat-
ment that Kobe Bryant, Grant Hill and Alex Rodriguez all recently underwent, according to
the report. Acquired in Friday’s blockbuster trade that sent Dwight Howard to the Los Ang-
eles Lakers, Bynum has been plagued by knee injuries throughout his career but remained
healthy last season. Bynum currently is not suffering from any knee injuries, but was im-
pressed with the results Bryant experienced after having the procedure last season, accord-
ing to the Inquirer. Bynum, 24, played in 60 out of a possible 66 games during last season’s
lockout-shortened campaign. The 7-footer averaged 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds in 35.2
minutes per game, all career highs. A seven-year veteran, Bynum is scheduled to become
an unrestricted free agent following the 2012-13 season.
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It’s a beautiful day in La La Land…. #LakeShow
A four-team trade that would send Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers is complete,
multiple sources told ESPN on Thursday night.
A source with direct knowledge of the talks told ESPN.com’s Marc Stein the Lakers will re-
ceive Howard, the Denver Nuggets will acquire Andre Iguodala, the 76ers will receive An-
drew Bynum and Jason Richardson, and the Magic will get Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington,
Nikola Vucevic and one protected future first-round pick from each of the other three
teams. In addition, the Magic will be getting other pieces, including 76ers No. 1 draft pick
Moe Harkless, a source told Stein. Sources close to the process told Stein and ESPNLos
Angeles.com’s Ramona Shelburne that a trade call with the league office has been scheduled
for Friday to secure the necessary NBA approval to make the deal official. Lakers forward
Pau Gasol had been in and out of talks, sources told Shelburne, before ultimately being
excluded. One source briefed on Howard’s plans told Stein that the All-Star center will in-
deed stand firm on his intent to play out the 2012-13 season without extending his contract
so he can become a free agent on July 1, 2013. Going that route will enable Howard to decide
how comfortable he is in Los Angeles before deciding whether to re-sign with the Lakers or
join the Dallas Mavericks, who will have the requisite salary-cap space to sign Howard and
remain one of his preferred destinations from his original list of three teams (Brooklyn
Nets, Lakers and Mavericks). “If Los Angeles doesn’t work out for Dwight, Dallas will be
there waiting for him,” the source told Stein. One source close to Kobe Bryant, meanwhile,
told Stein that the Lakers’ star was estatic Thursday night upon hearing that Los Angeles
was able to complete such a significant transaction without surrendering Gasol. Bryant is
currently with Team USA at the London Olympics. Sources told ESPN The Magazine’s
Chris Broussard that Philadelphia has not spoken to Bynum or his representatives, and
has no assurances he will sign a long-term extension with the team. “The Sixers are willing
to take a shot (without Bynum’s commitment),” one source said. Although Bynum signing
an extension with the 76ers is not out of the question, according to a source, his stance all
summer has been he only will sign an extension with the Lakers. Bynum, who grew up
about an hour away from Philadelphia in Plainsboro, N.J., could sign a three-year, $60
million extension this season or wait to become a free agent after the season and be eligible
for a five-year, $102 million deal. Earlier Thursday, Yahoo! Sports, citing sources, reported
that talks of a four-team trade involving Howard have taken place this week and have
“grown serious.” Near the end of July, Howard met with Magic general manager Rob
Hennigan and reiterated he still wants to be traded, and if he isn’t, will leave the team as
a free agent after next season. The Lakers’ position on Howard had remained relatively
unchanged for the past few months, league sources familiar with the situation told ESPN
LosAngeles.com. The Lakers always had been willing to trade for Howard without assur-
ances he’d re-sign with them after the season, believing that once Howard experienced a
championship culture, he would want to stay.
