Andrew Bynum doesn’t have a soft spot for the Philadelphia 76ers.
After the Sixers took a chance on Bynum, believing him to be everything the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t, they got burned. He won’t play at all this season, essentially meaning Philly traded Andre Iguodala and Nikola Vucevic for nothing.
Still, the Sixers—with the exception of head coach Doug Collins—haven’t broken down. They’ve remained patient and cautious, allowing Bynum to go through the motions that come with rehabilitation and unforeseen surgery. And even in the midst of a trade gone awry, Philadelphia won’t hesitate to call Bynum “Plan A” moving forward.
Bold? Yes. Loyal? Absolutely. A surefire sign Bynum isn’t going anywhere? Er…
Bynum isn’t likely to earn himself a max contract in free agency. At least, I hope not. That would totally go against everything the CBA and common sense stands for. More likely, he’ll either be apt to signing a long-term deal worth less money or a short-term pact that pays him fairly handsomely for two or three years.
Either way, the Sixers remain interested, and given what they’ve gone through this season, what Bynum has put them through this season, a special discount or consideration should be in order.
Or not.
Per John N. Mitchell of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Bynum won’t be giving the Sixers any preferential treatment this offseason:
hile it would be wonderful if Bynum – an unrestricted free agent – gave the Sixers special consideration in light of all that they lost in trading for him and the agonizing wait for him to return, a team source with knowledge of the situation said last week that he does not believe that will be the case.
The Sixers ultimately may have nothing to show for this deal – no Bynum, no Nik Vucevic, who looks as if he could be a budding star with the Magic, no Maurice Harkless, blossoming in his own way in Orlando, and one less first-round draft pick.
All once sparkling assets, they now are reminders of a potentially franchise-crippling mistake by the front office.
Well, that is so not Raven.
At this point in his career, one could hardly expect Bynum to be handing out massive discounts to anybody. With his future in this league and state of his knees up in the air, it would be prudent of Bynum to make what he can, while he can. And yet, that he has no plans to render Philadelphia some kind of favorite is disturbing.
You never got the sense that Bynum bonded with his teammates or the Philadelphia organization, but the Sixers remained the franchise that took a chance on him. They saw a franchise star who could lead them toward prominence, toward another NBA title. They saw greatness. They still do.
Philly’s willingness to bring Bynum back even after this mess of a pairing is dedication. It also could be for fear of leaving the Dwight Howard blockbuster with nothing, but even so, the Sixers aren’t fleeing from their investment. No matter how much of a bust is appears to be at this point.
It’s not necessarily about Bynum showing remorse for what he put Philly through (thought it should be to some extent). More so, it’s about respect, about recognizing that this team was prepared to offer him the city if he could make good on his potential.
Disastrous 2012-13 campaign aside, Bynum still has the opportunity to hold up his end of the deal. He doesn’t have to sign a one-year contract that pays him the league minimum, but acknowledging that he’d like to return to the faction that continues to think so highly of him would be endearing. And also, you know, humane.
Let’s not forget that Philly is more committed to making this marriage work than anyone else would be. The Sixers already have assets and nearly an entire year rolled up in Bynum and those degenerative knees of his. If they’re willing to retain him, they’ll be even more determined to see this borderline tragedy through. They’re attached and emotionally invested in ways no other team will be. In ways no other team could be.
But, that may not matter to Bynum. It already doesn’t appear to be worth anything. There’s a greater possibility that he’ll sell his services to the highest bidder.
Or rather, the most naive of convocations.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
