Lakers Rumors: Andrew Bynum Should Be Traded If Kobe Keeps Holding Him Back
We all know how much potential Andrew Bynum has. We've been hearing about it for years, after all.
But Bynum finally showed that potential in a big way in the Los Angeles Lakers defeat of the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. The center had a huge night, compiling 21 points, 22 rebounds and three blocked shots in a Lakers win.
And honestly, who needs Dwight Howard when Bynum posts numbers like that?
Sure, those numbers aren't sustainable, but if Bynum can be a dominating force in the paint for the Lakers, Los Angeles shouldn't need to pay such a steep price for Howard.
But they problem might be that Kobe Bryant won't ever let Bynum be that force. From Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times:
"But here's the unsettling reality. Bynum's potential remains untapped partly because of Bryant's resistance to defer to him.
Credit Bryant all you want for his 37 points on 15 of 29 shooting. But also keep in mind he had a stretch where he missed nine of 11 shots in the first half that easily could've gone to the Lakers' center. Even as Bynum was on the cusp of reaching the 20-20 mark, it was Matt Barnes, and not Bryant, who threw a cross-court pass he compared to the Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson that earned him the milestone. Barnes surely noticed the need for Bynum to feel more empowered, particularly after being connected in deals involving Dwight Howard.
"There's a lot of talk that he needed to get traded," Barnes said of Bynum. "People take that to heart. When he's healthy, he's hands-down one of the best big men in the game. "
But who knows how the dynamic surrounding the Lakers' offense will pan out. While Pau Gasol has gladly deferred to Bynum by mostly shooting mid-jumpers, Bryant will continue to tinker on his shot no matter how many it requires. Brown also made it clear he's deferring to Bryant even if it comes at the expense of a more flourishing inside game.
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If Bryant continues to limit Bynum's impact on the floor, isn't using the big man as a trade chip to bring in another superstar like Dwight Howard the best way to maximize Bynum's value?
Surely, Bryant would be more comfortable deferring to a perennial MVP candidate like Howard, especially if his desire is to win another championship before he retires.
The Lakers have an important decision to make: Can Andrew Bynum reach his full potential with the team and provide them with a dominating force inside? Or is he best utilized as a trade chip to bring in another superstar Kobe will feel more comfortable sacrificing shots for?
Another championship in Los Angeles lies in the balance.
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