Andrew Bynum has been surrounded by trade rumors for quite some time now, but it seems that a little stability might be headed his way.
According to ESPN Los Angeles (via L.A. Times), the Lakers will exercise their team option for the All-Star center to keep him with the Lakers for another season.
“He’s the starting center on the West All-Star team. Why wouldn’t we do everything we could to keep him here?” Kupchak said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “We’re ecstatic to have him on the team.”
Now is as good a time as any to lock up the young center. So far he hasn’t missed a game due to injury all season, and is putting up tremendous numbers. Bynum earned the Western Conference Player of the Week award for the first time on Monday, and has become the focal point of the Lakers offense.
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If the team does exercise their option with Bynum he will become a free agent following the 2012-13 season. He is averaging career highs of 18.1 points and 12.9 rebounds per game this season.