NBA Trade Rumors: Andrew Bynum Would Be a Bust as Main Man for Orlando Magic

With all the talk about the possibility of Dwight Howard landing with the Los Angeles Lakers, it's easy to forget that the Orlando Magic would be getting something in return.

And for good reason—because Andrew Bynum, as a de facto fill-in for Superman, is rather forgettable.

Bynum has long been rumored as the most likely centerpiece of any blockbuster deal between the Lakers and the Magic, something about which a source close to the young pivot is well-aware.

That same source, as Hoopsworld reports, suggests that Bynum is "indifferent" to all the trade banter, though he/she believes that Bynum would be an excellent get for Orlando.

Clearly, whoever this shadowy figure is that spoke to Yannis Koutroupis is just a tad bit biased. I don't doubt that Bynum will be better in 2011-12 than he's ever been. For the first time in his career, Bynum will have had a full offseason (and then some) to work on his body and his game without having to rehab from a serious injury and/or some sort of surgery. Health has long been the proverbial elephant in the room holding Bynum back from maximizing his considerable potential.

I also have no doubt about Bynum's desire to be a superstar in the NBA. He's been vocal about his desire for a more featured role in the Lakers offense in the past, though for obvious reasons (i.e. Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol), his hopes haven't exactly been accommodated.

Yet, there are far too many question marks lingering over Bynum's resume for anyone to reasonably (or believably) suggest that the kid from New Jersey has what it takes to be a worthy successor to Howard's throne, both on and off the court. First and foremost, Howard has been arguably the most durable big man in the league since the Magic made him the first overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft. Superman has missed a total of seven games in that span.

Bynum, on the other hand, has played a full slate but once in his six-year career, with a whopping 160 games lost over the other five combined.

As far as on-court contributions are concerned, no center in the NBA today does more for his team than Howard does for the Magic. A five-time All-Star, three-time Defensive Player of the Year and rebounding champion, Howard has improved tremendously over the course of his career, expanding his offensive game while remaining as big a menace in the paint on the other end as he's ever been. Remember, Howard was good enough to carry Orlando to the 2009 NBA Finals against the Lakers, and he's a much better all-around player now than he was then.

Bynum, meanwhile, has long demonstrated a surprisingly deft touch on offense for a player of his size and relative inexperience in the game of basketball, but has demonstrated difficulty sustaining his effort from quarter to quarter, much less game to game. Part of that is certainly attributable to his conditioning—a function of time missed due to injury—but his maturity (or lack thereof) plays into it as well.

And even if Bynum is indeed twice the player he's ever been this season, it's his mental makeup that makes him a less-than-ideal replacement for Dwight Howard. Superman has long been a fantastic face for the Magic franchise. He's the sort of guy who can light up a room with his smile and charm fans and the media with his kind and jovial nature.

Bynum, on the other hand, has long come off as a bit of a stiff, too aloof to care about the additional duties of being a star, much less about conducting himself in a manner befitting of a franchise player on the hardwood.

The Magic will want and figure to get much more for Dwight Howard than just Andrew Bynum, as they should.

Because, when push comes to shove, Bynum is nowhere near ready to carry a team quite like Howard has for the last seven years.