Bynum spoke and Collins reacts
Monday before the Sixers-Pistons game, Andrew Bynum spoke to the media. Tuesday at practice coach Doug Collins reacted. Sort of.
Bynum spoke and Collins reacts
Bob Cooney
At the end of Tuesday’s practice, when the curtain rose and the gathered media was allowed to peer down on the players, there was Andrew Bynum with ball in hands – and sleeves on knees – in his practice shorts and shirt. Rarely is there a Bynum sighting on the floor at PCOM, but there he was yesterday a day after speaking with the media and saying his originally injured right knee was feeling strong while his left was still giving him constant pain.
“He’s going to see the doctor on the 20th and hopefully ramp up his activity,” said coach Doug Collins. “If not maybe another month or whatever. The fact that the one knee is feeling great, yeah that’s exciting. December 20th it sure would be nice to see him ramp up his activity. He’s been out here most of the time when we go through stuff. We’re constantly evolving our team. I’m still figuring us out in terms of what is good for our team. I put in an offense yesterday during shootaround that I ran in Detroit for Grant Hill for Jrue (Holiday) and Evan (Turner) to have the ball in certain situations and then if something doesn’t happen that we can play out of it.”
Collins then went on about the various ways he’s trying to get Holiday and Turner and his other players better opportunities to score. The theme of it all was this: Without Bynum it is a lot more difficult than it would have been if he were playing.
Collins and the players have to move on without Bynum, for they, nor anybody else including Bynum, have no idea when or if the 7-footer will return. Monday’s meeting with Bynum again seemed to leave more questions than answers. For the first time Bynum mentioned arthritis. He also said that it is a possibility that he won’t return this season, though he expects to. The December 20th meeting with doctors may include an MRI on one or both knees, but he isn’t sure. He also again said that if this was the NBA Finals “I’d be out there helping my team win.”
Getting answers hasn’t been easy and here’s why. Every day at practice we are asked by PR director Mike Preston which players we would like to speak with. Every day we ask for Bynum – among others – and every day Preston asks Bynum if he would like to talk. You can tell by the infrequent Bynum quotes how often he says yes.
December 20th will be a big day and we should know something more definitive the following day or days. Until then, it’s status quo.
bynum is fine. sixers know it, dont have the balls to step to their superstar, dont want to sour the public onto him..this the out indefinite rap. Bynum will never play before Mid January again, get used to it. But he will dominate the next five post seasons as a sixer! we forget what its like to have a superstar diva...some need special treatment, DC knows that, thats why he is so careful not to talk trash about Bynum,— johnGiam- superstar diva act don't cut it when you are in the last year of your contract looking for megamillions— lefty1117
There have been many lopsided trades in the sorry history of Philadelphia sports, but this one has to be the most bizarre of them all. With every posted story on this guy, it only becomes more cloudy. The real losers are the people who put their hard earned dollars into season tickets thinking this guy would be a key piece. Injuries are a fact of life in pro sports, but this story goes into something much deeper. The word that comes to mind is fraud. Those folks who dismiss the trade by sayng it was a one year deal so nothing ventured nothing gained are mistaken. This deal was made in order to get a legit NBA center to compliment Turner and Holiday. If the whole purpose of the deal was only to shed salary, there has to be a better way the to decieve it's own fanbase. It just doesn't add up.- you don't eat Brand's $18 mil or whatever give away those young guys to purposely try and pull the wool over a fan base new ownership has invested lots more money to grow a long-term relationship with. The Have Nots just got duped by the Haves
- Coincidentally if he gets healthy, say around Feb. 1, that's a few weeks before the trade deadline. What are the odds the sixers can sell the dream of Bynum for the stretch run in a trade with a frontcourt needy team? Exactly who? No idea. I'd probably start at 25/1
- Mstt Geiger is available, is well rested and abhors bowling.— NewMick314
- Bynum is a loser. It's stupid to expect anything from him. Move On!— fafink
- Long before the Sixers picked him up, there have been stories out there about Bynum... that he doesn't particularly like playing basketball... that his knees are shot... that he is a mediocre teammate. If a casual fan knows all this, the Sixers certainly did... and, if they didn't, they were criminally negligent in making this deal. On the bright side, in a few more months his contract will be up and he (and the Sixers) can move on.— kobrakai7474
- New owners = Same results— robbyag
- .... "for they, nor anybody else including Bynum, have no idea" ..... Anybody right english a round here? (Yes, I did it on purpose.)— Boulderboy
- There's something rotten in Denmark!— pedge
- Let's keep our fingers crossed that The Big Knucklehead is just resting his knees for a 2013 run. The Sixers are a team that can handle a diva like The Big Knucklehead. They have a strong coach and a bunch of classy kids (Jrue, ET, Thad, Hawes). I doubt his diva-ness will rub off on them. Maybe his agent is telling him that the best way to get a big deal is to finish strong this year. Maybe he doesn't want to take any chances until that deal is signed. Maybe his knees are just as healthy as they were last year (and the year before ...), and he just wants to be extra careful since so much $$$ is on the line.— Copper34
- Bunch of hypocrites. Honestly how many of you were begging for Iguodala to be traded for a bag of chips last year? I remember quite a few saying that. Now you want him back? Why? Turner is putting up better stats than him. J-Rich is bringing something to the table Iguodala didn't with 3pt shooting. We hit a tough stretch with Nick Young and Jrue being injured back to back and people are ready to jump ship. Thank god the season is 82 games long because each team goes through this every season. I just hope when/if Bynum plays and wins us some games none of you go bragging about getting him again. It's sickening how hypocritical a lot of people here are. Hated Iguodala now you want him back? Complained Jrue and ET weren't getting enough playing time because of Iguodala now you're reversing that because we're losing some games? Do you honestly want to see brick after brick at the end of games again? Seriously people quit panicking. It isn't that bad. We got injury issues and despite all that we're still above .500. If we had last year's squad and Iguodala was out instead of Bynum you really think we'd be this good? Quit kidding yourselves...— joecooler2u
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.
