Bynum to have surgery, done for the season
Reports are circulating that Andrew Bynum will have arthroscopic surgery on both knees tomorrow.
Bynum to have surgery, done for the season
Bob Cooney
Like the teams in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, it could be one and done for Andrew Bynum as a 76er.
The Sixers announced at halftime of its game against the Portland Trail Blazers that the 7-foot, 300-pound Bynum will have surgery on Tuesday, thus ending one of the most frustrating situations in the team’s history. Bynum will undergo arthroscopic surgery on both knees.
“After many months of rehabilitation and consulting with numerous doctors, Andrew and the doctors treating him determined that this is the best course of action at this point,” said Sixers general manager Tony DiLeo. “We will continue to monitor and evaluate his status moving forward.”
How the Sixers will move forward will be the biggest question surrounding this organization in quite some time. DiLeo has said repeatedly during the season that Bynum was “Plan A” and that was the plan they were looking to move forward with.
Bynum, who made $16.5 million this season, was obtained during a four-team trade in August that cost the Sixers Andre Iguodala, Nikola Vucevic, Maurice Harkless and a protected first-round draft pick. In mid-September Bynum hurt his right knee while working out to get ready for training camp. It was announced the day before training camp that he would be out for about three weeks but could be ready for opening night.
As that injury lingered, it then came out that Bynum hurt the left knee while bowling in mid-November. While he said his right knee was feeling better, the left was slow to respond following the bowling incident. After upping his workouts to a more strenuous schedule, Bynum attempted to play 5-on-5 during a practice. The stint lasted just a few minutes and a week later it was revealed that Bynum’s right knee was again hurting. And now comes word of the surgery.
Hopes were high for the organization after it obtained Bynum, who averaged career-highs in points (18.7) and rebounds (11.8) last season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Hopes have faded to disappointing reality as Bynum will not see the court this season. Whether the team is willing to take another chance on him and hope to sign the free agent in the offseason will no doubt be a heavy topic this offseason.
And then what?— stardog- A long, long time ago the 76ers tanked a season and got 9 wins. They then drafted Doug Collins, made the right bold moves and went to the NBA Finals four years later. The Sixers need to tank next season (a much better draft class in 2014) and rebuild from the bottom up. Oh yeah it might get ugly... there might even be talk of moving the franchise to Seattle, but at this point who really cares in a basketball city that's not an NBA town. Oh where have you gone Pat Williams (master GM), Jack McMahon (master scout), and Chuck Daly (he of course was the mastermind behind the '83 championship team.) Oh how we could use all of you now.
— jojotr44 - Who?— AreaMan
- Awesome.— Eaglenation5
- I just hope they don't compound the error by signing him to a long-term deal. It sounds like that's their thinking. — FreddieMac
- Then the Sixers commit $60 million over 6 seasons and the message board implodes.— Cville
Long after the Titanic sank, debris must have floated up to the surface of the ocean. This story plays along that line.....- Interesting - Can he have season ending surgery if he never played this season?— schwenksville
- When I read the headline "Surgery appears on horizon for Bynum" I was hoping he was having a heart implant - since its obvious he has none!
— schwenksville - I just saw he will be ready for bowling season next year.......— christian10
- This comment has been deleted.— Flyerdom
- You don't spell it our idiot...it's CP time..Or maybe you're simply trying to educate your racist brethren so they can be like you and have a 6th grade education... — FreddieMac
- I can't believe anybody is left defending this guy.— fmMD
- I think everyone wishes he would just go away at this point. I'd take Iggy back at this point...at least he gave us something! — FreddieMac
- At this point I think the Sixers just need to get a GM. A real GM. Tony DiLeo is not the guy. He's a great scout but NOT a GM...— FreddieMac
Bob Cooney has been at the Daily News for more than 20 years, working in the sports department for the past 15. This is his third season on the Sixers beat. He has covered just about everything, but mostly college basketball, where he was the La Salle beat writer for six seasons. E-mail Bob at cooneyb@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter.
