NBA New York Knicks

Andrew Bynum May Be the New York Knicks’ Solution at Center

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By @JosephMCrevier

New York Knicks

Andrew D. Bernstein-Getty Images

Back in 2005, Phil Jackson and the Los Angeles Lakers took a leap of faith, seeking to bolster their frontline by selecting 17-year-old center Andrew Bynum with the No. 10 pick. Originally committed to UConn, the former McDonald’s All-American decided to enter the NBA draft after receiving a relatively convincing feeling that he would be selected in the lottery.

Though he was a bit overweight at the time, Los Angeles realized Bynum’s tremendous upside as a potential replacement to the recently traded Shaquille O’Neal and pulled the trigger.

Coming off a disappointing (34-48) 2004-05 campaign, the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers failed miserably to replicate the contention status they had accomplished with O’Neal. Bryant was constantly ridiculed for his selfish mentality after he reportedly forced O’Neal out of town. So when Mitch Kupchak ultimately made the grand decision to select the youngest prospect in NBA history, Bryant was presented with his inaugural opportunity to manifest himself from an egotistical maniac to a rookie mentor.

As a rookie, Bynum very seldom saw significant minutes on the floor, but worked diligently in practice to improve his game under the tutelage of Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. A Lakers front court diminished by injury forced Jackson’s hand at giving the big man some significant playing time, despite Bryant’s continuous public criticism. At this point, Bynum was clearly something special; it was all a matter of channeling that talent onto the hardwood, which he certainly did to begin the 2007-08 season.

The then third-year man got off to a magnificent start, playing a vital role in Los Angeles’ sizzling (25-11) record. Bynum was averaging 13 points and 10 rebounds prior to suffering a dislocated knee cap that forced him to miss the remainder of the season, including an NBA Finals series. This injury would only foreshadow a plethora of injuries to follow, crumbling Bynum’s promising career before our eyes.

After 2008, he suffered a torn MCL, torn meniscus and eventually underwent a procedure that caused him to sit out for the entirety of his sole season as a Philadelphia 76er. Throughout this span of time, Bynum’s character was in question as critics accused him of not loving the game, but instead the massive paycheck that followed. After brief stops with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers, he was deemed a locker room poison by team executives and carried the blame for Roy Hibbert‘s epic collapse during the 2014 playoffs.

Bynum has remained on the free-agent market since he was deactivated by the Pacers back in May. Rumors have surfaced that he plans on sitting out the entire 2014-15 season to get his knees right, but I’m sure if an organization called for his services, Bynum would jump at the opportunity — enter the New York Knicks.

After locking up Carmelo Anthony long term last offseason, 2014-15 is anticipated to be a year of transition as Jackson enters his first full season as President of Basketball Operations. Outside of Anthony, the Knicks’ roster is loaded with role players at best who are simply not talented enough to aid Melo in his quest for a title, especially the front court. Neither Samuel Dalembert nor Amar’e Stoudemire have proved themselves as competent defenders, forcing Jackson to look elsewhere to possibly fortify the position.

The Zen Master has unsurprisingly remained the only person of authority to keep Bynum’s head on straight; most notably in 2011-12 when he helped him achieve Second Team All-NBA honors and an All-Star appearance, averaging 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. Amongst the strong leadership and familiar faces of Derek Fisher and Jackson, Bynum could potentially reach that elite level of play once again as a member of the Knicks.

He is highly unlikely to command anything in excess of the veteran’s minimum, so New York really has nothing to lose if the pairing turned out to be incompatible. As for Bynum, he has only two options. Either he allows his already-tarnished reputation to stay the way it is, or he works his butt off to force his way back into the Association.

If he has any brain at all, he’d choose the latter.

Joseph Crevier covers the New York Knicks for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, @JosephMCrevier, and Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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