Sixers open camp with Andrew Bynum on the sideline
Andrew Bynum, the 76ers' new center, spent his first day at training camp Tuesday splitting time among the weight room, an elliptical machine, and stretching.
Andrew Bynum, the 76ers' new center, spent his first day at training camp Tuesday splitting time among the weight room, an elliptical machine, and stretching.
But even before Bynum's new teammates scrimmaged at St. Joseph's Hagan Arena, coach Doug Collins began the process of incorporating the 7-foot, 285-pound player into his team.
Collins and his coaches taught offensive and defensive principles for the better part of two hours to the myriad new faces and five holdovers from last season's team. It was as if Bynum, who will not participate in training camp for the next three weeks to allow his knees to rest, were in the mix from Day 1.
"Without Andrew practicing with us, we are going to try to simulate all the things we are going to do with him," Collins said.
Bynum, a former Los Angeles Lakers star acquired in an August trade, was present during the skull sessions before the scrimmage and was very much a part of what was being taught.
"Anytime we threw the ball into the post, I asked him, 'Is this where you want your guys to be? How do you like them cutting?' " Collins said. "Even if somebody else is out there, we want to continue to play like that so we get into a habit of doing it. We don't want to play an exhibition one way and then try to change, because that would be too much for our guys. Every minute is precious."
It was not an easy adjustment.
"It's not frustrating, but it does complicate things," forward Thaddeus Young said. "Bynum is a big part of our offense and what we're trying to do, so we have to simulate a lot of stuff that we're going to do. It is very hard to prepare because he's not out there on the court for us to figure out how we're going to play around him."
Young is one of the Sixers Collins will be looking to for leadership. Collins said that last season's team, which included Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand, and Lou Williams - all since departed, did not have any truly strong leaders.
This season, Collins wants the team's veterans to help the new players understand the culture. He is looking for leadership from the returning players, especially from Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner.
"There are a lot of new faces," said Holiday, who is beginning his fourth season with the Sixers. "Since I'm one of the five that's still here, out of all of us I have to step up and speak up. The point guard is supposed to do that anyway."
Turner, entering his third season, also spoke of the increased need for him to lead.
"The most important thing is guys are looking for us to lead," Turner said. "There are a lot of guys here looking for direction. We've got some ears that are ready to listen, so it's way different."
Asked how he made the adjustment to not having Bynum on the floor with him, Turner joked about the situation.
"I mean, it's the same as my first two years," he said, laughing. "I never had him out there before. But good things come to those who wait. Three more weeks, right? We don't want to rush him back and mess him up more."
Sixers hire scout. The Sixers announced that Jordan Cohn has been named pro personnel scout. Cohn previously worked in scouting for the Knicks and Nets. General manager Tony DiLeo said he expects to make another scouting hire soon. . . . Forward Lavoy Allen missed the morning session for personal reasons. He was at the evening session.
76ers TV Schedule
CSN – Comcast SportsNet
TCN – The Comcast Network
NBA – NBA TV
Home games in CAPITALS
All times Eastern; times are subject to change
Preseason
OCTOBER
11 at Orlando, 7 p.m.
13 vs. Brooklyn (Atlantic City), 7 p.m.
15 vs. BOSTON, 7 p.m. CSN
17 vs. CLEVELAND, 7 p.m. CSN
19 at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.
21 at Boston, 7:30 p.m. CSN
22 vs. New York, (Syracuse, N.Y.) 7 p.m.
Regular season
OCTOBER
31 DENVER, 7 CSN
NOVEMBER
4 at New York, noon CSN
5 NEW YORK, 7 CSN
7 at New Orleans, 8 CSN/ESPN
9 at Boston, 7:30 CSN
10 at Toronto, 7 TCN
12 MILWAUKEE, 7 p.m. CSN
14 DETROIT, 7 p.m. CSN
16 UTAH, 7 p.m. TCN/ESPN
11 L.A. CLIPPERS, 7 p.m. CSN
18 CLEVELAND, 6 p.m. CSN/NBA
20 TORONTO, 7 p.m. CSN
21 at Cleveland, 7 p.m. TCN
24 OKLAHOMA CITY, 7 p.m. CSN
25 PHOENIX, 6 p.m. CSN
27 DALLAS ,7 p.m. CSN
30 at Charlotte, 7 p.m. CSN
DECEMBER
1 at Chicago, 8 p.m. CSN
4 MINNESOTA, 7 p.m. CSN
7 BOSTON, 7 p.m. CSN/ESPN
8 at Boston, 7:30 p.m. CSN
10 DETROIT, 7 p.m. CSN/NBA
12 CHICAGO, 7:30 p.m. CSN
14 at Indiana, 7 p.m. CSN
16 L.A. LAKERS, 6 p.m. CSN
18 at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. CSN
19 at Houston, 8 p.m. CSN
21 ATLANTA, 7 p.m. CSN
23 at Brooklyn, 3:00 p.m. TCN
26 at Memphis, 8 p.m. CSN
28 at Golden State, 10:30 p.m. CSN
29 at Portland, 10 p.m. TCN
JANUARY
1 at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m. CSN
2 at Phoenix, 10 p.m. CSN
4 at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m. CSN
5 at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. CSN
8 BROOKLYN, 7 p.m. CSN
9 at Toronto, 7 p.m. CSN
12 HOUSTON, 7:30 p.m. CSN
15 NEW ORLEANS, 7 p.m. CSN
18 TORONTO, 7 p.m. CSN
21 SAN ANTONIO, 7 p.m. TNT
22 at Milwaukee, 8 p.m. CSN
26 NEW YORK, 7 p.m. CSN
28 MEMPHIS, 7 p.m. CSN
30 WASHINGTON, 7 p.m. CSN
FEBRUARY
1 SACRAMENTO, 7:30 p.m. TCN
4 ORLANDO, 7 p.m. CSN
6 INDIANA, 7 p.m. CSN
9 CHARLOTTE, 8 p.m. CSN
11 L.A. CLIPPERS, 7 p.m. CSN
13 at Milwaukee, 8 p.m. CSN
20 at Minnesota, 8 p.m. CSN
23 MIAMI, 7:30 p.m. CSN
24 at New York, 7 p.m. CSN/ESPN
26 ORLANDO, 7 p.m. CSN
28 at Chicago, 8 p.m. TNT
MARCH
2 GOLDEN STATE ,7 p.m. CSN/NBA
3 at Washington, 6 p.m. CSN
5 BOSTON, 7 p.m. TNT
6 at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. CSN
8 at Miami, 8 p.m. CSN/ESPN
10 at Orlando, 6 p.m. CSN
11 BROOKLYN, 7 p.m. CSN
13 MIAMI, 7 p.m. CSN
16 INDIANA, 7:30 p.m. CSN/NBA
18 PORTLAND, 7 p.m. CSN
20 at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m. CSN
21 at Denver, 9 p.m. CSN
24 at Sacramento, 9 p.m. CSN
25 at Utah, 9 p.m. CSN
27 MILWAUKEE, 7 p.m. CSN
29 at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m. CSN
30 CHARLOTTE, 7:30 p.m. CSN
APRIL
3 at CHARLOTTE, 7 p.m. CSN
5 at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. CSN
6 at Miami, 7:30 p.m. TCN
9 at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m. TCN
10 ATLANTA, 7 p.m. CSN
12 at Washington, 7 p.m. CSN
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