Season-ending surgery a possibilty for Bynum
The 76ers and center Andrew Bynum are considering arthroscopic surgery on the player's right knee in order to clean out loose cartilage, a procedure that would likely end the season for the center for whom they traded so many young assets, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
Season-ending surgery a possibilty for Bynum
John Mitchell, Inquirer Staff Writer
The 76ers and center Andrew Bynum are considering arthroscopic surgery on the player’s right knee in order to clean out loose cartilage, a procedure that would likely end the season for the center for whom they traded so many young assets, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
Bynum suffered a setback in the form of swelling in his right knee following his participation in a five-on-five scrimmage, first reported in the Inquirer, last Friday. While the Sixers have been unable to practice recently due to the schedule, Bynum would not have been able to participate due to the swelling in his knee, which was also first reported by the Inquirer on Friday.
Bynum said his left knee “feels good.”
Following practice at Philadelphia College of Medicine on Friday, Bynum acknowledged that his season might in fact be over.
“Now it’s getting a little late, so I really don’t know,” Bynum said when asked if he were considering sitting out the final two months of the 76ers season. “I played in one scrimmage and [I have] a four- to five-day setback,” Bynum said of his latest setback. Bynum added that he is “just getting treatment and trying to push the fluid out” of his knee.
I still think I can play,” Bynum said, “but like I said, the season is short.”
Before the Sixers (22-34) dropped their seventh game in a row the night before at Chicago, Sixers coach Doug Collins said that he had not seen Bynum do anything since last Friday’s scrimmage.
On Friday, Collins elaborated.
“During this period of time, he’s not made any progress, and that’s obviously very concerning,” Collins said. “His concern that he was moving forward and he got to a point with the swelling where he’s making no progress.”
Bynum has said that he is not aware of a surgical procedure to remedy his condition,
Bynum, whom the Sixers acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers in a 12-player deal, had serious knee issues with the Lakers, requiring surgery on his left one in 2008 for a dislocated kneecap and on his right one in 2010 because of torn cartilage. He played every regular-season game only once in his seven seasons with them.
Bynum, who is earning more than $16 million this season, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Sixers hold his “Larry Bird” rights and therefore can pay him more than any other team. However, the Sixers must seriously consider the ramifications of re-signing a player with a history of knee problems.
In order to acquire Bynum last summer, the Sixers, who also acquired injured shooting guard Jason Richardson in the trade, dealt Andre Iguodala to Denver, and Maurice Harkless, Nik Vucevic and a conditional first-round draft pick to Orlando.
Why play when you can get 16mm for free. Some stupid team will pay him to sit around again next season.— Ssteve115- Matt Geiger.— ACBaughman
- yup. cut the loss now. don't resign Bynum.
— Themonkofmagdalena - I feel bad for the kid, but worse for me as a Sixer fan. I was really getting into this squad and hoped this year was the real deal. Bynum is this generations Jeff Ruland. Don't compound the mistake with a new contract for Andrew. I wish him luck - on some other team.— Themonkofmagdalena
- Of course there was a physical wasn't there???— wvdon
- Everyone needs to relax (for now). This was always a possibility, and it's not like he's on a multiyear contract. They took a chance, but because of everyone's short term contract on the team, they're in potentially good shape. Potentially because Doug and DiLeo are still here. They (particularly Collins) have shown themselves to be completely incapable of putting a team together. If they are allowed to put together the Sixers of the future, it WILL be bad. They must go!
But it's pretty easy to fix this with the cap room they'll have this year:
Center: Jefferson or Pekovic (probably much cheaper, but Jefferson is better)
Power Forward: Moultrie/Lavoy
(can add another free agent Center or PF if you sign Pekovic)
Small Forward: Thad
Shooting Guard: Turner
Point Guard: Holliday
Nick Young and Dorell Wright come off the books. Hawes and Kwame Brown are in the last year of their contracts. Both have value in trades for good bench players.
Possible free agent bench signings (one or more):
Jarrett Jack (Point Guard)
Tony Allen (Shooting Guard)
Matt Barnes (Small Forward)
Losing Bynum puts next year's payroll at 46 million. Hawes and /or Kwame trade can net you some decent role players, which this team lacks. It seems pretty straightforward to improve the team and still keep some flexibility. The only bad contract left is Jason Richardson, who has another two years (next year and a player option in 2014), but the rest of the situation isn't bad.— mjc1 - Frauds from the top-down.— ssaun
- Doesn't want to play with pain? Give the money back....— stardog
- Heart implant?
— schwenksville - Umm.... doesn't the season have to START before it can END???— Justin_Writer
- Umm.... doesn't the season have to START before it can END???— Justin_Writer
- This is the type of situation that makes sports so interesting. I wonder if I was in his shoes if I would do the same as him. I think I would.— jskrad
- The first sentence in the article is hilarious. The 76ers and Bynum are considering surgery. Why is Mitchell continuing this charade that the Sixers are a part of any decision regarding Bynum's health. Bynum and his handlers have been calling the shots while the Sixers deal in reactionary spin. This was a HORRIBLE deal that could set the franchise back for years. They traded away valuable assets that coud have been used to bring in someone that could actually contribute— mtairy1
- Hope everyone is not forgetting that the Sixers will have a ton of money this summer to sign free agents or trade for players without having to give up players. Trading Iggy was the right thing to do. He would have opted out next year to be a free agent. Harkless would have taken several years to develop because he would not have gotten a lot of playing time. Vucevic would have been nice to keep but he did not show consistency when he played last year. Giving up two future 1st round picks that would have been outside of the lottery is not that bad. You can always get a 1st round pick in a future trade. Basically you have Jrue and Thad signed long term and the rest are on 1 or 2 year deals that are very tradeable. The Sixers can instantly make up for this with their cap space this summer. They will have enough to get two max players or a max and two very good players. Don't think doom and gloom. It was worth a shot at Bynum but it didn't pan out. Can you imagine if they would have extended him right away. That would have handcuffed the Sixers for years. Let's see, go get Al Jefferson or Dwight for center. Yes I said Dwight, it could happen - money and being the man talks. Make a play for Josh Smith. Trade Evan for Tyrek Evans and, Bam! - J'rue(g), Tyrek(g), Thad(sf), Josh(pf), and Al or Dwight(c). Are you kidding me! Adam, Dileo, give me a call. With their cap space this is very doable with a little left to reload the bench.— earat903
- We as fans got suckerd by the biggest sucker!!!!!!!!!— Memphisdex
John Mitchell is in his second year covering the 76ers for the Inquirer after joining the paper in November 2011. He covered the Washington Wizards for the Washington Times from 1998 to 2008. He's also worked at the Philadelphia Tribune, the Wilmington News Journal, Courier-Post, Trenton Times and Elmira Star-Gazette.Born and raised in West Philadelphia - not too far from Will Smith - he graduated from Overbrook High School the same year the 76ers won their last championship. He's a proud graduate of Howard University and the proud father of two sons, Jared and Jordan.
ABOUT MARC NARDUCCI
Marc Narducci has served in a variety of roles with the Inquirer since beginning in 1983. He has covered the 76ers as a backup and a beat writer. In addition, Narducci has covered everything from the Super Bowl to the World Series and a lot in between. Narducci also has a true passion for South Jersey scholastic sports, which he has covered for many years.
