Andrew Bynum is headed to Cleveland, just like he told one of the team’s fans at the airport earlier this week.
The injury-plagued center has agreed to a two-year deal with the Cavaliers that is worth a possible $24.5 million, per Yahoo!’s Adrian Wojnarowski. $6 million is guaranteed, and Bynum reportedly could earn as much as $6 million more this season if he meets incentives. The team will hold a $12.5 million option on Bynum for the 2014-2015 season.
Bynum chose the Cavaliers’ deal after meeting with Cleveland, Atlanta, and Dallas on consecutive days. He missed the entire season with multiple injuries after being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Cavs view this is a low-risk move despite Bynum’s health issues. They reportedly feel it is rare that they would have a chance to sign a player of his capability and are taking advantage. The other interesting part of the deal is that ESPN and Yahoo! both report that the Cavs believe the presence of Bynum along with former Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving can help them make a free agent pitch to LeBron James, who can become a free agent next year.
