Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers 2008-09 favorites
Lakers shoulda wooped the Celtics in the finals if bynum was healthy. But im not going to make any excuses, the celts won this year. they better hope tthey don't play us again in the playoffs. Lakers are gonna win it this season! Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
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Today, he's hailed the missing link to the Lakers' title hopes. After all, Bynum was the NBA's best young post before sustaining a January knee injury, which sidelined him for the season. A healthy 'manchild' makes last year's NBA Finals much more competitive. So you can understand Mitch Kupchak's check-up in Atlanta. Without Bynum, the Lakers are an elite team. With him, they're the favourite in 2008-09 ...
 Today’s NBA news mixed with analysis ... News: Lakers center Andrew Bynum might not be quite ready to start playing NBA basketball just yet. But the 7-footer looks bigger and stronger than ever, and is able to run with no apparent effects from the knee injury that wiped out his season last January. At least that's the report from Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, who traveled to Atlanta this week along with VP Jim Buss and Director of Scouting Bill Bertka to check in on his rehabilitating 20-year-old star. "He looks to be in great shape. He looks ready to go," Kupchak said in a phone interview Thursday. "There's no reason to believe he won't be 100 percent for training camp." (CNNSI, Marty Burns) Quick Analysis: Times have changed for Andrew Bynum. In August of 2007, he was downplaying Kobe Bryant’s cell phone rampage and trying to ignore those Jason Kidd rumours. Today, he’s hailed as the missing link to the Lakers’ title hopes. After all, Bynum was the NBA’s best young post before sustaining a January knee injury, which sidelined him for the season. A healthy ‘manchild’ makes last year’s NBA Finals much more competitive. So you can understand Mitch Kupchak’s check-up in Atlanta. Without Bynum, the Lakers are an elite team. With him, they’re the favourite in 2008-09. Their starting unit is outstanding. Bryant is a superstar, Fisher is a solid point guard, and the frontcourt, with a healthy Bynum, is arguably the NBA’s best. The bench is ten, eleven deep; Coach Phil Jackson is an all-time great. The pieces are there. And Bynum, if he returns to form, can come full circle and play hero. Will Bynum put L.A. over the top. Get at us in the comment box below and return to HoopsVibe The Blog for more NBA tidbits. Photo courtesy of Polvitos.
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
Lakers would've whooped the Celts with Bynum report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
Bynum is overrated. He hasn't proved anything in a full consistent season yet. He's ok but isn't great report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
Health is an issue ... but all the tools are there. Remember, December 07, he was a beast; totally dominant. Size, some skill, great on D. Word is he's added upper body strength, too. If, and it's a big if, he's 100% then look out. Out ... report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
yisi- bynum is 20. if he needed to prove anything by this age, he's done it. name five other centers you'd rather have. report abuse
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bynum isn't overrated.. he's a top 5 center in the league.. he still hasn't proved anything agains thte other great centers though.. he was invisible against kg and duncan.. but his new upper body strenght should fix that problem report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
ummm EXCUSE ME check out the stat line when spurs met lakers last time Drew met them...he DESTROYED Tim...Tim had ike 5 pts or something report abuse
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yeah totally favourite ... after the sixers!! hoho ! ok lets be serious here, the lakers will be very strong and they probably would be the champions with bynum, i think with gasol and bynum and odom and bryant and fischer and the rest are the ones!!!!! but i think the eastern division is owned by the sixers this year , celtics ???? yeah why not , but brand and iguodala and miller will have different opinion! so damn competitive nba!!!!! looking forward for the gamez!!!!!!!!!!!! report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
BYNUM AINT GON DO NOTHIN .. LAKERS SHOULD TRADE HIM WHILE PEOPLE STILL THINK HE GOOD report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
no name postermy mistake... should be kg and howard report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
the celtics beat the lakers 2 times last season , both times with a healthy bynum, once without garnett.bynum has the size and potential to be a great center . but he is only 20 . btw he was held in check by k. perkins solid defense and toughness. this is my very biased opinion. report abuse
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Obviously, Celts Fan forgot that the Lakers didn't have Gasol with Bynum when they played. report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
Umm.. how many legit centers are in the NBA? He basically wins by default. I'm not saying he's a bad player, but he isn't great yet, and he hasn't been consistent. He was on the verge before injury. But now he must over come it and hopefully can continue at the level he was playing at. He's looking for a MAX $80 mil deal. He hasn't done enough to deserve it yet. I know he'll be a great addition with the other guys. But let's not go too far until he has done it, ok report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
Maybe not quite yet a max guy, but if Golden State gives their young center 66 million, how much is Bynum worth? Just a thought ... report abuse
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i cant wait for the season to start, im dying to see some games. the olympics were good but not the same . report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
Chris Mullin is stupid. Plus how many GMs over pay for players, list can go on and on. They paid Foyle like $50 mil. So just because one team pays one player something doesn't mean nothing. That's the problem with contracts now, everybody compares value, and feels they're worth more, because of whatever reason. Ben Gordon feels he should get more than Deng's $71 mil because he has been they're leading scorer. Yes Bynum is better than AB on the warriors, but atleast he has been on the court consistently to show what he can do on a regular basis. Bynum will be a great edition to Gasol, Odom and Kobe. .But again he shouldn't be getting hyped up so much. Out of 246 possible games he could have played in his career, he's played 163. He's had about 50 solid games out of those. report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
Great points 'Yeah I Said It!' I'm gald someone on here has some common sense report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
Bynum is also like 20 or 21. report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
Debating whether athletes are overpaid is a different issue ... of course they are, they all are. And I've written several columns blasting Mullin as a poor GM who overpays players. In addition to overpaying Foyle, he gave Troy Murphy 10 million a year and Dunleavy JR 9 million a year. howw did Patrick O'Bryant pan out in Oakland, anyway? These moves set the Warriors back, way back. Fair or not, part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement is paying young players on potential. It's the way the CBA is structured that top young players can discuss a long-term deal after three years. And in those 50 solid games Bynum has clearly shown more than Foyle ever did! He has all the tools, is very young, and can control the game on defence. I agree he isn't worth a max YET, but his agent will surely point to Biedris' deal as a starting point (again whether that is right or wrong is a different question). Personally, I'd like to see him have one consistent year and then talk extension. That, to me, would be fair to all sides. The Lakers can still qualify him, too at end of 2008-09. Thanks for commenting ... report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
only players wroth 10 mil a season right now are kobe,wade,lebron.. and kobe is gettin payed almost 24 mli.. these gusy are spoiled.. don't forget all they're indorsments too..gil is gettin payed 111 mil over the 6 seasons.. that's just dumb report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
I totally agree when looking at athletes social worth or actual worth, but their 'market worth' is a different concept. Like many people, I have relatives and friends who work social wages jobs like teachers, firefighters, and social workers etc. They are underpaid relative to what they give and the programs they are involved in are in need of funding. But again we live in a capitalist society were worth worth is determined by the market. There are positives and negatives to this. A negative is athletes, celebs tend to be overpaid. Anyway, just my thoughts ... Thanks for commenting ... Cheers report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
well at least arenas had somewhat of a right idea. if u all recall, washington offered him 127 mil of 6 years. he lowered the price a bit. now wouldnt it be great if everyone can follow by example? report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
I also agree with (YISI). He has presented the best case. Everyone is talking potential and hype. Stick to what the fact is right at this moment report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
The fact is Bynum is the BEST Young Center is the NBA ... report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
YISI covered that as well, there aren't alot of young center, and legit centers in the league at that. So he pretty much wins by default. He does have quality skills, but too many people overhyping him, he still needs to more, nuff said report abuse
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I' M A BOSS, B*TCHES, I'M ALWAYS RIGHT! report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
You made some great points YISI. A couple of things worth noting. First off, I agree that Bynum isn’t there yet and shouldn’t get a max, but I really believe he’s going to be there and soon. Default or not, he still is the best young center. And if there are less good young center then that just makes his dollar value go up. Call it the law of supply and demand. Still, I think we are sort of on the same page. I'd like him to put it all together for a year or so, then demand his big contract. Another point came to me while I was brainstorming the NBA’s best young centers. I want your guys’ thoughts. My quick list of best young fives includes: AB from the Warriors, Chris ’I’m sometimes German’ Kaman, Bynum, and Greg Oden. I want to get back to Oden in a sec. I left off Howard ,even though he is still young, because he is established. I believe Howard is easily the best of all these guys. To me, Minny’s Al Jefferson is really a four. So I left him off, too. Anyway, here is the thought. If we are talking about potential and future worth etc ... then who do you take thinking long-term Oden or Bynum. Both are young, raw, great frames, and, all things considered, have good heads on their shoulders? So, I’m going to put this out to ’The Boss’ YISI (sigh, he has been throwing downgreat stuff lately, keep it up) and everyone else ... Oden or Bynum: who has the best long-term potential? Get at me with thoughts? Thanks! . report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
Oden or Bynum: who is the NBA's best young five-man? I got Oden. report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
Well I'm going to stay consistent with my stance on a person showing something. As of right now, Bynum has the edge because he has been in the NBA 3 seasons and has shown a lil bit. Oden however has not played yet so I'm not going to speculate just yet, he has played one meaningful NBA game. Both are talented no doubt, I think skill wise Oden has the edge. I want to see him play against the big boys first. Bynum has shown he can atleast bang with the best of them, it's just a matter of doing it consistently report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
Again, interesting points YISI. I agree Bynum, for now, has the edge, simply because Oden hasn't played. That can change and quickly. Even though Bynum isn't super-polished by any stretch, I wonder about Oden's skill set because he sat last year with his knee and the year before played with his off hand due to a wrist problem on his shooting hand. I wonder what he'll have offensively beyond dunks and tip-ins. That said, he may not need much else next year because he is so athletic. Thanks again for commenting and making some good points. Everybody else ... where you at on Oden or Bynum? Who do you take thinking long-term? report abuse
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Healthy Andrew Bynum makes L.A. Lakers a favourite in 2008-09
Oden will be a bust. Bynum all the way baby report abuse
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