The question was never “would teams be interested in Andrew Bynum?” Two years ago when healthy he was in the “best center in the game” conversation. Guys like him do not come around often.
The question was always “what kind of contract would he get?”
We may find out soon, with the interest in him heating up from Cleveland and Dallas, reports Marc Stein at ESPN.com.Sources close to the process told ESPN.com that the Cavaliers are legitimate contenders to sign Bynum after his lost season in Philadelphia, especially if the former Los Angeles Lakers All-Star is willing to sign a one-year deal….
The Mavericks are also actively pursuing Bynum in the wake of Dwight Howard’s decision to sign with the Houston Rockets, sources previously told ESPN.com.
The Hawks may be in the mix as well, but the question is how much money they have left after Monta Ellis, who is their top target.
The question for the Mavericks is how many years do you want to put on this deal? He has had chronic knee issues and didn’t play at all last season, something like a three-year contract would seem a risk. The deal could be structured with team options for Dallas in future years, but obviously Bynum would want as much guaranteed as he could get.
It sounds like Cleveland wants to make a big offer but a one-year offer. Smart strategy. If he works out you can try to re-sign him, but the risks are limited. And with Bynum there will always be risks. But if another team offers two years they may not get him.