Andrew Bynum has appeared in 24 games for the Cavaliers this season, but his career in Cleveland could already be over. The team announced Saturday that Bynum has been suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team.
Bynum did not travel to Boston with the team for a game against the Celtics on Saturday night, and the Cavs are reportedly “aggressively” looking to trade the 26-year-old. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports noted that Bynum has been a “disruptive” presence in Cleveland and the team has given up on trying to make the relationship work.
By trading Bynum before Jan. 7, the Cavs would not have to pay him for the remainder of the season. He signed a two-year, $24 million deal with the team last summer that included just $6 million guaranteed.
Bynum has long had a reputation for not caring about what happens on the basketball court. He missed the entire 2012-2013 season with the Philadelphia 76ers while battling knee injuries, and many felt that Bynum didn’t even make an attempt to return to action. He later made it clear that he did not feel badly about not appearing in a single game for the Sixers after they acquired him in a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The most disappointing part about Bynum’s career is that his physical talent is through the roof. He has the ability to be a game-changing center, but just doesn’t seem to care about basketball. As one league source reportedly told Wojnarowski, “He never liked it that much in the first place.”
Obviously, the Cavs will have trouble finding a team that is willing to trade for Bynum. He may only be 26, but he has bad knees and a worse attitude. That said, his contract is affordable enough that some team may be willing to take a risk. They just shouldn’t expect that risk to pay off.
