Beware Cleveland Cavaliers: Andrew Bynum and Aaron Hernandez are Alike, Sort of

 

After Dwight Howard decided to head to the Houston Rockets on Friday, the next big question regarding the 2013 NBA Free Agency period was what that meant for Andrew Bynum. So far, only two teams — the Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks — have made it clear they are going after the injury-plagued center.

Enter stage right: Cleveland Cavaliers.

Sunday night, Marc Stein of ESPN reported that the Cavs not only have a legitimate shot to sign Bynum, but offered a very intriguing perspective on why it could happen:

 

Team to watch in chase for Andrew Bynum: Cleveland. Hearing Cavs not only have legit interest but can also make lucrative one-year offer

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 8, 2013

 

Because Bynum has chosen not to workout for teams this summer, it will be tough to judge whether or not he is worth a long-term deal. Do teams take a chance on those knees of his and give him the big-time deal he is in search of?

The way I see it, his knees should be trusted as much as Aaron Hernandez with a squirt gun at this point.

I digress.

What might be worth it, for both Bynum and the Cavs, is the prospect of signing him to a one year deal worth a lump sum. If it doesn’t work out, he’s gone next summer and the Cavs have a boatload of cap space yet again for free agency in 2014.

If it does work out, they can choose to offer him a long-term deal that could wind up saving them cap space immediately, giving them a chance to still possibly grab another solid player or two in free agency. Bynum gets his money either way, but in this scenario he has to earn it beyond this year.

For Cleveland, I wouldn’t hate the move if it shook out this way — a one year contract. I would have a problem, however, if they went ahead and gave him a multi-year deal beyond anywhere from $8-$10 million per year. Even that may be too risky if I’m a general manager.

In any case, the Cavs are amongst the top landing spots for Bynum and could be laying an offer on the table anytime soon if all indications are correct. Look for someone to make a move in the near future as the market for big name free agents is just about dry.

Ryan Heckman is a Senior NBA Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter  @ryanmheckman, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.