NBA Rumors: What a Potential Andrew Bynum to Cavaliers Deal Could Look Like

The summer soap opera of Dwight Howard continues, and this time, Andrew Bynum may be on the move as well.

As reported by ESPN's Ric Bucher, the Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers are in the process of working on a three-team deal that would send Howard to LA, Bynum to Cleveland and Anderson Varejao and a package of draft picks to Orlando.

Bynum has reportedly said he would consider signing in Cleveland after his contract runs up next summer, listing the Cavs along with the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets.

From the Cavs' perspective, Bynum presents an intriguing opportunity to ramp up the rebuilding process.  He is widely considered to be the second-best center in the league behind Howard, and at the age of 24 enjoyed his best season last year, averaging 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game with a PER of 23.

Pairing Bynum with Kyrie Irving is a fascinating possibility, but would it be worth it for the Cavs?

Orlando is reportedly interested in Varejao, but what else would it take?

For starters, Orlando would want draft picks.  Los Angeles has very few to offer at this point, giving up four for Steve Nash alone.  The Cavs do have quite a few to offer, as many as six total picks in the 2013 draft alone.

The most valuable pick they could give up would be their own 2013 first-rounder, which could still be in the top ten, even with an acquisition of Bynum.  They hold Miami's first-rounder, which is likely to be in the last few picks, and have the right to switch it with the Lakers' first-rounder as part of the Ramon Sessions trade.  Both the Lakers and Heat picks should be in the late first round and wouldn't be as valuable as the Cavs own selection.

They also have their own second-rounder, as well as Minnesota's (Delonte West trade) and, oddly enough, Orlando's from the draft night Justin Harper trade in 2011.

If the Sacramento Kings make the playoffs or have the best record of any non-playoff team, the Cavs would own their first-round pick as well.

No doubt the Magic would be after multiple first-round picks, and the Cavs have plenty to offer.

Orlando will also likely want to rid themselves of veteran contracts, such as Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson, Quentin Richardson and others.

Since rookies can't be traded for thirty days after being signed, any deal done in the next few weeks could not include Dion Waiters or Tyler Zeller, but Orlando could very well be interested in Tristan Thompson.

Given all these scenarios, here is how a potential deal could end up looking:

Lakers Receive: C Dwight Howard, SG Jason Richardson

Cavaliers Receives: C Andrew Bynum, PG Steve Blake, SF Quentin Richardson

Magic Receive: PF/C Anderson Varejao, PF Tristan Thompson, Cavaliers 2013 first round pick (via Miami), Cavaliers 2014 first round pick, Cavaliers 2013 second round pick, Cavaliers 2015 second round pick, SF Luke Walton, SF Christian Eyenga

This would be a pretty good haul for Orlando, as they clear two veteran contracts, get an expiring $6 million deal in Walton, add talent in Varejao, Thompson and Eyenga and get four total draft picks, including two first-rounders from the Cavaliers.

The Lakers get their prize target in Howard and get a nice back-up shooting guard in Richardson. The Cavaliers land Bynum, a back-up point guard in Blake and Richardson's manageable two-year, $5.4 million contract while keeping their own 2013 first-round pick.

Losing Thompson would hurt the Cavs but would ultimately be worth it to land Bynum.

This deal is entirely based on the security that both Bynum and Howard would agree to extensions, and both would likely require a maximum contract.

If the deal does indeed go down, expect it to very much resemble the above.

Dealing for Bynum and giving him a max contract would be a huge risk for the Cavs, but if healthy the Lakers star could be just the player to pair with Irving and lead Cleveland  back to the top of the Eastern Conference.