Report: Sixers think Bynum’s knee setback due to bowling

There is no denying Andrew Bynum’s talent, no denying how good he can be on the court when focused. He’s an All-Star for a reason.

But the Lakers were willing to consider trading him in part because they had concerns about his maturity and about that focus.

Which brings us to this report from Brian Windhorst of ESPN — that Bynum’s admitted setback with his knee rehab happened while he was bowling.

Multiple sources told ESPN on Saturday that Bynum suffered an unspecified injury this month while bowling. On Friday, Bynum revealed that -- on top of the issues with his right knee that could keep him sidelined until January -- he also had suffered a “setback” with his left knee.

We should be clear that bowling is not something prohibited by NBA contracts (while things considered risky, like skydiving, are). That said, doing it when you have knee trouble seems a poor decision. There is no timetable for Bynum’s return, but the former predictions of around Christmas now seem optimistic.

Bynum, like a lot of young people, can think about himself first. He’s far more professional than he was when he entered the league, but the Lakers rightfully saw Dwight Howard as a center more committed to his game than Bynum can be. Bynum seems not to think things through.

Bynum took a risk bowling and the team is paying the price.