Lakers Rumors: LA Should Trade Andrew Bynum Before He Hits Free Agency

Andrew Bynum hasn't exactly given the Los Angeles Lakers the idea that he'll stay in L.A. when he hits free agency in 2013.

According to Yahoo! Sports, he has a list of preferred destinations for next summer already, including the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers.

On top of that, Bynum will likely seek the maximum contract extension even if he does decide to remain with the Lakers.

All of this points to it being unlikely that he's going to be incredibly loyal to the Lakers come 2013's free agency period. There's a good chance he takes his talents somewhere else.

Bynum, 24, is a curious character. Last season was the best of his career, as he averaged 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while shooting 55 percent from the field. On the other hand, his shooting percentage not only dropped to 47 percent in the playoffs, there were questions about his lack of commitment on defense. His defensive rating shot up seven points in the postseason (meaning, he approximately allowed seven more points per 100 possessions).

Translation: When Andrew Bynum is motivated, he's a beast and an almost unstoppable force. When he's not, you can go so far as to call him downright lazy.

Right now, his heart doesn't seem to be in Los Angeles, for whatever reason (is it because he's not allowed to jack up three-pointers? I kid, I kid). He may be the second-best center in the league, but that means nothing if he takes plays off. 

In that sense, the Lakers should deal him before the trade deadline next season unless his mood dramatically improves. They can still get a huge return for him (similar to the return the Orlando Magic are likely to get with Dwight Howard) and—while it would hurt losing him to some extent—they may still be able to fill that hole with a quality big man plus some accompanying pieces.

If the Lakers don't trade Bynum this summer, they should trade him before he's knocking on free agency's door.

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