NBA Trade Rumors: Dealing for Andrew Bynum Would Hinder Cavs for Years
The Los Angeles Lakers are trying desperately to move center Andrew Bynum, and though the Cleveland Cavaliers seem like a perfect fit, such a trade would ultimately hinder the Cavs for years.
Currently, the hot rumor being reported by The News Herald is that the Cavs would be a third team in an Orlando Magic-Lakers-Cavs deal that would send Dwight Howard to the Lakers and Andrew Bynum to the Cavs.
On the surface, this move makes sense. The Lakers especially would love this deal, as it gives them a future franchise player while helping them win now with Kobe Bryant on the decline.
For the Cavs, though, this deal would be a disaster, as Bynum simply cannot be trusted as a franchise cornerstone.
Even though Bynum is truly an elite talent, he doesn't have the maturity to help lead an NBA team.
A quick YouTube search shows a host of Bynum videos, most of which are negative. From his attempted three-point shot to his giggling at teammate Pau Gasol as Gasol is dunked on, Bynum never seems to have his head truly in the game.
The Lakers were able to mask Bynum's immaturity to an extent thanks to Kobe's clear status as the franchise player, but in Cleveland, Bynum would expect to be the lead man.
That would mean that Bynum's missteps would have an amplified effect on the team, making Bynum not worth dealing for at any price
Further, Bynum still lacks a solid defensive game. For a Cavs team that was 26th in points allowed last season, the addition of another marginal defender could do more harm than good for the team.
Finally, to add Bynum, the Cavs would have to take on some bloated contracts, as well as trade away a power forward Anderson Varejao, one of the few bright spots on the team last year.
This would limit the Cavs' flexibility in the future, meaning that if Bynum flopped with the Cavs, they would have minimal options to improve.
The Cavaliers are a young, growing team with a budding superstar in Kyrie Irving. Adding a disruptive force like Bynum may produce wins in the short term, but it could stunt Irving's development, limit the team's ability to improve in the future and it could very well put them into a salary-cap nightmare.
All in all, Bynum would destroy the young, talented but developing roster that the Cavs have worked so hard to build, and he is not worth dealing for at any price.
