The Dallas Mavericks, having just missed out on Dwight Howard because his free agent dreidel landed on Gimel instead of Nun, have directed their attention to another 7-footer with baggage. Lots and lots and lots of baggage. Andrew Bynum could be had in a sign-and-trade with the Mavs, many sources are reporting. That would be Complete Hinkie Domination if it were to happen.
Bynum is an expiring contract and the Sixers have no claim over him once they renounce his rights. There are very few teams that can afford him (it may just be the Mavs, depending on money), so the fact that Sam Hinkie may be getting *something* for the guy is absolutely ridiculous. After signing Jose Calderon to a 4-year, $29 million deal, Dallas is a bit more up against it -- hence the necessity for a sign-and-trade rather than an outright FA signing to put Bynum next to Dirk Nowitzki in the frontcourt.
The haul will likely be Shawn Marion ($9M expiring contract) and a pick, which is absurd. It can't be a first-rounder until at least 2016 because their first this year is going to OKC (top-20 protected until 2017). Dallas does have Boston's second-rounder in 2014, which figures to be a pretty good one. I'd bet on that.
Back to Andrew. His situation is an impossible one. He has chronic arthritis. I don't believe that he'll ever play at the same level again, simply because of how much pain basketball causes him. His camp keeps saying his rehab is complete and he's ready to go, but that was never the issue -- the issue was how much swelling happened when he put too much pressure on his knee. The one 5-on-5 practice Bynum participated in was the last straw -- the next day he was almost incapacitated.
And he's not even working out for teams. If I'm anyone interested in Bynum (I'm not, anymore), I would demand watching him work out two days in a row. Because I don't think he can handle that and I don't think he'll ever play more than 30 games a season for the rest of his career, if that. He's about to get PAID after a year of not playing a single game. Can't teach height. Or franchise desperation, apparently.
It was a really, really tough year. If Sam Hinkie can turn it into an expiring contract to hit the cap floor and a pick of any kind, that's dandy as hell.