What to think of all this Bynum stuff?
The Sixers announced in a release that Andrew Bynum probably won't be on the court for the team until around mid-December, perhaps later. What gives?
What to think of all this Bynum stuff?
Bob Cooney
I was at Sixers shootaround this morning when the release about Andrew Bynum was emailed to the media. I put the statement up on my blog but I was busy talking to players so I didn't have time to put my personal spin on this. So here it is.
I wrote for Saturday's Sportsweek that I thought it was crazy that we hadn't been able to get any updates on the health of Bynum. When it was asked twice last weekd if there was an update, we were told by the PR director (no doubt under someone's orders) that there was no update. I wrote on Saturday that ownership had dropped the ball in keeping fans in the dark concerning Bynum and the release today only cements that point more.
The third paragraph of the release reads: "Andrew received a fresh MRI and was seen again by Dr. (David W.) Altchek this past week on November 5."
Altchek is Bynum's personal doctor and the lead orthopedist caring for Bynum's knee. Didn't the Sixers know on Wednesday and Friday after the MRI what the results were? We asked for an update and told there wasn't any. Why? Why did it take a ton of emails from fans and being questioned in the paper before the truth came out? It's all just so silly. Are they not saying anything because Bynum's team (doctor, agent, etc.) doesn't want the truth coming out? Are they afraid of the fan's reaction to what the MRI revealed, that Bynum probably won't be on the court in uniform until somewhere around the holidays at the earliest?
In the grand scheme, which is having Bynum on the court, none of this really matters except it just seems so ridiculous that the media, and thus the fans, are being kept in the dark. If the guy's knee is so bad that he doesn't play at all this season, that's a shame for the team and the fans. But it's not like the team is invested in him for more than this year. And, yes, a huge part of the trade was parting with Andre Iguodala. His time had run its course here and his departure indeed was addition by subtraction.
But who is the Sixers ownership protecting with all the silence? Themselves? Again, I think they made a trade that was a no-brainer, even if Bynum doesn't pan out. They can then afford to look for another prime-time free agent during the offseason. Are they protecting Bynum, afraid that fans will start questioning his desire to play?
Their silence only fuels speculation and in this town that's never a good avenue to travel. Their statement this morning was a step in the right direction into letting us know what is expected. Bynum will also be available to talk to the media before tonight's game against Milwaukee. Perhaps this whole situation is finally going to start to become more clear.
One thing I want to make clear with the fans,who have understandably been comparing Bynum to Jeff Ruland. Bynum was given a physical before the trade and deemed healthy. His knees did allow him to play in 60 of 66 games for the Lakers last season and he missed four due to suspension, one to an ankle sprain and another for rest before the playoffs. The time he is missing is due to what his doctor calls a bone bruise, which was suffered on or around September 15.
Could he previous knee problems also be playing a part in his missing time? Perhaps, but I'm not doctor and haven't gotten word that this is the case. Could the injury he sustained be more than a bone bruise? Again, perhaps, but at the beginning of training camp the media was told there was no structural damage.
I sort of think that if Bynum hadn't suffered the mid-September injury he might be on the court right now. Or maybe not. Who knows? Getting answers on this subject hasn't been the easiest quest.
Now, about tonight's game. The Sixers will again have the services of Jason Richardson, who will return to the starting lineup after missing most of five games after spraining his left ankle in the first minute of the second game of the season. Richardson deemed himself 100 percent at shootaround this morning.
The team will again be without Kwame Brown, still sidelined with a calf strain.
A big matchup to watch tonight will be Sixers point guard Jrue Holiday against Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings. Holiday has had a lot of success against Jennings in the past and Jennings is coming off a horrendous 1-for-11 shooting performance against the Celtics on Saturday.
The conversation is veering towards Iggy and a moose but the real issue is the Sixers lying to the fans. They knew full well Bynum wasn't going to be ready the last week of preseason, Bynum and his people were saying that wasn't going to happen. They also knew this was not a day to day or couple of weeks issue. Rather than come clean and admit it they kept the fans and the media in the dark (although it's not hard to fool a media group who rarely asks tough questions). Why all the subterfuge? It doesn't make sense. For an organization that is trying to be fan friendly they sure are going out of their way tick people off.— mtairy1- Just HOPING by Christmas Bynum is on the court, cause this team desperately needs him. On tonights match up between Holiday and Jennings, it"s a team game and numbers don't tell the actual truth, they're simply figures. Jennings bring more overall to the table than do Holiday. I think Holiday is the more efficient scorer of the two, but Jennings runs an offense more efficiently and naturally all the while being entertaining and exciting, something this team is lacking without Bynum.— Anguilla Al
- I feel bad for Bob, John and Dei as they been made to look bad by the GM and the team. It isn't being a beat writer as primarily your job is to cover the games and give insight, but you aren't there to critique. The critiquing is a job for the columnist. Sadly the beat writers have been fed a bad bill of goods by the team and were being featured on radio shows and tv saying that they thought Bynum would be back sooner than later. Why should the be questioning what ownership has been saying as they have been fairly transparent so far. While rumblings were coming from national voices that the Bynum situation appeared worse then what the team was leading on, the local media was being told that this wasn't the case. At this point who knows what we should believe. Clearly this ruse was done for a reason. Was the team just trying to make sure they kept their single game ticket sales up? Was this done to keep the heat of Andrew as many outsiders have questioned if he could take the heat of playing in Philadelphia? What the answer is, misleading you fans isn't a good way to go about this.
As state the other day, people can say whatever they want about Ed Stefanski, but he was alaways upfront and honest. Since Rod Thorn has come in, it has been very hard to get a straight answer and now they throw Dileo into the wolves and he is far from a communicator. This is bad form from ownership and the front office and hopefully they will learn that trying to hide things from the fans isn't a good way to go in the future.
Barrywil: You are spot on with you assessment about the trade. It was a calculated risk that had to be made, but we did give up more then just AI's expiring contract and if Bynum never plays or leaves at the end of the season then this trade will be considered a bust.— Mattb 
Why does the local media continue to try creating a controversy, where one does not exist? The Sixers have made it clear; They will not rush Bynum back. I'm okay with that. Sixers are okay with that. Most of the fan base are okay with it. The kid is hurt. He'll play when he's ready to play. Leave it the hell alone. No wonder we can't keep Superstars in town or draw them to us.- Watching NBA TV "The Beat" and co-host are basically saying SIXERS should NOT invest long term on Bynum!— Anguilla Al
Don't forget the draft picks.
The NBA is structured so that you can't trade anyone and get anything but garbage in return (even, it turns out, if its Bynum - hee, hee). Draft picks are the only reliable way to build. And we just gave three away.
Something still unreported is that the last email was distributed in two versions. The second version, quickly deleted, had this one addition: "The preceding Bynum trade was brought to you by Ruin Tomorrow Jr. When you want to damage a franchise, always Ruin Tomorrow."
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- DAMAGED GOODS. How does one get a bone bruise from an injection into soft tissue? How does one still have a bone bruise after 2 months? This part of the story is B.S.— KinkyReggae
- This entire thing is going to get ugly before its all said and done. You would have to be a complete fool to think Bynum will be in playing shape when he is cleared to play. If he thought the Philly faithful showed him love wait until they turn on him. I give it until March.— BigVilFromWestPhil
- DiLeo and Aron are liars. They are covering their arses. They should both be canned. Get rid of Bynum so another team can babysit his fragile attitude. No heart rather than no knee.
- Why is everyone care so much about Bynum? The most important aspect of the trade is getting rid of Iggy's contract. For all I care, Sixers could've gotten a ball cage in return. Anything Bynum can contribute to this year will be gravy. If not, so what? we have no obligation to him anyways. People act like we are stuck with him for the next 5 years.— penncrow19
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.
