(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Andrew Bynum over the past two seasons has not only been injured twice and had his numbers and minutes dramatically drop, but he has also shown glimpses of something special.
Bynum has not yet become the dominant future center of the Lakers that Laker fans from around the globe have been waiting for, but next season the league will see why he received such a nice new contract.
Most people have probably already forgotten Bynum’s 42 point, 15 rebound demolition of the Clippers...yes I know it was the Clippers, but it was still a good performance nonetheless.
In 2010 most likely Ariza or Odom will not be returning to the Lakers so Pau Gasol will most likely play PF and Bynum will get larger minutes at the five. In Bynum’s last four regular season games he averaged 17.3 points and 5.5 rebounds, expect that and more from Bynum next season. His points may stay around that area, but if Lamar Odom doesn’t return expect Bynum to average about 10 rebounds per game. With his massive size and the muscle that he will build up hitting the gym hard this offseason, Bynum will crash the boards and make some noise in 2010.
Just imagine if Bynum didn’t have two serious injuries equaling an entire season gone down the drain. Imagine Bynum with two more seasons of experience and practice, it's enough to send a chill down the spine of any NBA team.
Bynum wants to improve and wants to get the ball in his hands. He needs and wants more minutes. After winning the western conference finals Bynum made it clear he wanted more playing time.
"Obviously, it was frustration a little bit. You're not playing your best ball. Sometimes you have a good game and you get yanked out and you think, 'Ah, it could have been better.' You can't let that stop you from playing team basketball."
And Bynum won't let that stop him; he’ll continue to improve game after game.
The rest of the NBA better watch out.
Every missed shot he’s going to be crashing those boards.
Every drive your going to run into a brick wall and probably get your shot swatted away into the back row.
And if he fouls you, he fouls you hard. Just ask the Nuggets. Bynum destroyed them on every drive even if he had to warm the bench.
"You've got to play defense," Bynum said afterward. "You can't allow people just to walk down the lane and dunk. It creates too much energy for the other team."
And in 2010 he won't be letting anything go.
His size and raw power are a nightmare for anyone in the paint.
“Sure Bynum’s good but he’s no Dwight Howard.” This may be true at the moment on the defensive end, but Bynum’s offensive power and finesse will reinstate his position as one of the leagues most dominant centers next year.
With the proper training and mentality there’s no reason why Andrew Bynum can’t go up and beyond Dwight Howard and become the leagues most dominant center.
Sure the Cavaliers acquired Shaq, sure the Celtics get Garnett back and sure the Magic have Dwight Howard, but the Lakers have a new rejuvenated Andrew Bynum. He's young enough to run and use his size to dominate both ends of the court and see improvements in all aspects of his game.
He has the size, strength and skill to do it and he even has the experience of learning from one of the greatest centers of all time in Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
Bynum’s potential is limitless and after two seasons tarnished by injury he will be sure to prove a point in 2010 and be a major role in leading the Lakers to their second consecutive NBA title.
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