The Los Angeles Lakers traded promising young center Andrew Bynum this past offseason, and looking back now, the front office made a wise decision.
Bynum was shipped to the Philadelphia 76ers, but has not logged in a single minute with the team. The center has been dealing with knee problems all season long, and earlier this week, the team announced that Bynum would be having surgery on both of his knees. With only a few weeks left until the playoffs, there is no chance that Bynum plays for the Sixers this season.
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The Los Angeles Times spoke to Metta World Peace and Pau Gasol, former teammates of Bynum, and they expressed sympathy for the big man.
“I’m sure he’ll be OK cause he’s still young. He’s got so much time to play and get contracts,” said Metta World Peace, Bynum’s teammate with the Lakers for three seasons.
“I wish him a speedy recovery. It was a tough, tough season,” Lakers forward Pau Gasol said. “He was finally having a good solid year — an outstanding year — and I wanted him to re-establish himself and be the guy on their team. It just hasn’t happened..”
Gasol was front court partners with Bynum for two championships runs and they formed a great one-two punch for the Lakers in the paint. Not many teams could match up well with the Lakers’ front court and the two seven footers did a great job dominating on both ends of the court.
Bynum will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and it will be interesting to see if the Sixers decide to bring him back. The front office was hoping Bynum would be a franchise player, but his knee issues should make them reconsider offering him a max contract.
