Andrew Bynum suspended for conduct detrimental to the team

[hpantazo]

If they're ostensibly trying to deal him, shouldn't they be trying harder not to reveal that he HATES BASKETBALL? Or are all these stories out because they need to justify the decision to their fans? What a ridiculous franchise.

Everybody around the league knew he was a quitter but the Cavs just couldn't resist. Any respectable organization wouldn't have hired him in the first place, or at the very just sent him home much earlier. Instead they just let this 7-foot distraction infect 1/3 of their season.

I don't think they expect to trade him to anyone who wants to keep him for actual on-court contributions, at least in the long-term.

The beauty of Cleveland's gamble here is that they managed to sign him to a deal that is only $6 mil guaranteed here if he's waived before Jan 7th (and according to Faf, who knows these things, that's almost completely paid out already). They also have the ability to waive him in the offseason for no penalty.

So if a team had some contracts that were less than cap friendly, they could move those contracts to Cleveland (with a 1st round pick for the privilege), and then immediately waive Bynum effectively washing those contracts from their books.

So if a team like Boston wanted to make an impact next year in the FA market, they could move two guaranteed contracts (like say Wallace and Lee, although that's likely a pipe dream) for Bynum, and after waiving Bogans, they'd be roughly 12 million or so under the salary cap after holds and 1st round picks.

I'm betting on Bynum being released instead.

Me too, because Cleveland is over the cap right now, and because I don't think they want to take on any more long-term money with The Bron and others hitting FA next season.

exactly. they were wise to protect themselves with that contract they gave Bynum, no need to take on salaries for a draft pick, they have also wiffed on enough draft picks lately

[European NBA fan]

The Cavs could trade him for another expiring contract like Humphries.

Bynum is not going to help anyone win anything, unless he makes a complete turnaround.

[LarBrd33]

So his trade value is roughly half of the trade value of the Paul Pierce trade exception right now, right?  If a team is looking to dump salary would they rather trade for the Paul Pierce trade exception... or Bynum's expiring contract + 6 mil in savings?

Seems to me you'd save more money by just dumping salary for the Paul Pierce trade exception.

[Eddie20]

Not sure if this was posted earlier, but....

Abby Chin ‏@tvabby
Jarrett Jack just came back into the Garden and told Tristan Thompson the #Cavs are releasing Andrew Bynum.

[hpantazo]

Not sure if this was posted earlier, but....

Abby Chin ‏@tvabby
Jarrett Jack just came back into the Garden and told Tristan Thompson the #Cavs are releasing Andrew Bynum.

Abby Chin with some actual breaking news!

[barefacedmonk]

Haven't read the whole thread so this may have been posted already:

The Cleveland Cavaliers are determined to unload Andrew Bynum in a trade after their partnership with the former All-Star center has rapidly deteriorated, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

The Cavaliers have no intention of Bynum ever playing another game for them, a source with direct knowledge of the franchise's plans told Yahoo Sports after the team announced Saturday it has suspended Bynum indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team.

The Cavs believe they will benefit from no longer having to force him into the lineup when it clearly wasn't working.

"He doesn't want to play basketball anymore," a league source told Yahoo Sports.

The Cavaliers believe Bynum has been a "disruptive" presence within the team and have lost hope the partnership can be salvaged, sources said. Bynum often expressed a lack of desire to play and practice and was convinced by the Cavaliers not to quit previously, sources said.

Other teams that met with Bynum during his free agency last offseason were concerned about his desire to play and commitment to continue the rehab needed for him to play in the NBA after repeated knee problems, sources said.

Link

[hpantazo]

sounds like this is the end of Bynums NBA career.

I had made a poll before the season started asking who would be out of the NBA first, Amare, Bynum, or Oden. People were a bit upset at the mention of Bynum on the list but he's the winner.

[Celtics4ever]

Once again Mike Brown shows inability to lead a team or control his players.   Dude is living proof of the Peter Principle.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Something really fishy about all of this---Bynum and the team he ends up with, are Orchestrating this entire scenario (be an **** in practice)...

Though I doubt Cleveland deals him to Miami.....Either he gets traded to Clippers/Boston/Brooklyn/Knicks...or he gets released and signs with Miami....NO WAY he just retires.

[LarBrd33]

sounds like this is the end of Bynums NBA career.

I had made a poll before the season started asking who would be out of the NBA first, Amare, Bynum, or Oden. People were a bit upset at the mention of Bynum on the list but he's the winner.

He's not out of the NBA... he's having a relatively ok season... Per 36 numbers of 15 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks.  I think people are jumping to conclusions when they say it's the end of his NBA career. He's 26 years old and has started 19 games this season.  He clearly can still play basketball.  He's just not a good fit in Cleveland.  He'll probably end up somewhere else.  I'd offer up Bass and Lee for him just for the salary dump.  I'd also leak it to the media... it creates fake leverage in our ongoing trade discussions with the Rockets about Asik.

"Oh, you dont' want Bass and Lee?  Fine... whatever.  We'll trade them for Bynum then.  Good luck trading Asik now that the only team interested in him is moving on"

Honestly I think this might have more to do with Bynum hating playing for the Cavs than hating basketball.  And after watching the game today, I kind of see his point.  That coaching staff has no idea what they are doing.  The offense is absolutely horrid.  It's 1 vs 5 on every possession.  It's Hero Ball 24/7.  No system.  No rhyme or reason to what they are doing.  That falls on the coaching staff.  I don't blame Bynum for clashing with them.  He clearly went there for the money, but my gut tells me he'll end up somewhere he actually wants to play.

[Bahku]

Sorry if it's earlier in the thread, but I can't find any further details online anywhere, just that it's for "conduct detrimental to team activities" ... just the attitude overflowing finally, I assume?

[Yenohb]

Looks like to me it's another Miami Heat conspiracy theory a la Michael Beasley.

[BleedGreen1989]

sounds like this is the end of Bynums NBA career.

I had made a poll before the season started asking who would be out of the NBA first, Amare, Bynum, or Oden. People were a bit upset at the mention of Bynum on the list but he's the winner.

He's not out of the NBA... he's having a relatively ok season... Per 36 numbers of 15 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks.  I think people are jumping to conclusions when they say it's the end of his NBA career. He's 26 years old and has started 19 games this season.  He clearly can still play basketball.  He's just not a good fit in Cleveland.

I think you're underestimating his knees.

January 2008: Dislocated left kneecap. Missed 46 games and underwent arthroscopic surgery that offseason.

January 2009: Right medial collateral ligament tear. Missed 32 games. Injury unrelated to the dislocated knee but MCL tear suggested he was "loose-jointed" and "sensitive to contact injuries in the future," DiNubile told the Los Angeles Times.

November 2009: Right elbow strain. Missed two games.

February 2010: Left hip injury. Missed two games.

March 2010: Strained left Achilles tendon. Missed 13 games.

April 2010: Right knee hyperextension. Caused a previously diagnosed lateral meniscus tear to go from "very small" to "small." Played through the injury in the 2010 playoffs and underwent arthroscopic surgery in the offseason. Missed first 24 games of following season.

February 2011: Left bone bruise. Missed one game.

April 2011: Right knee hyperextension. Missed one game.

February 2012: Right knee discomfort. Received Synvisc injection. Missed no games.

September 2012: Orthokine treatment on both knees. Discomfort in both knees caused Bynum to miss start of season.

November 2012: Left knee reinjured bowling.

February 2013: Knee pain persists.

November 2013: ""Retirement was a thought, it was a serious thought. It still is."

[chambers]

I'm betting it has way more to do with Mike Brown and the staff rather than basketball. Jarret Jack has a good inside comment...

Bynum’s career has had its share of controversies, including reports that he does not like basketball. In spite of this, Jarrett Jack didn’t see signs of distaste for the game. “I’ve never gotten that vibe from him,” Jack said. “Just watching him over the course of the season, tremendous work ethic, trying to work himself back into game shape, always in the weight room working on his game by himself. That was kind of the mark for me, was him just showing he wanted to be here, wanted to be back, and get back to as close to the playing shape he used to be in that everybody was used to when he was playing with the Lakers.” HoopsWorld

He wants out of Cleveland and this is how he does it. He'll play if he thinks the team can win.
Dunno if he'd be any good on any team other than a true contender. He'd be a good body for Western teams to go to war with. Spurs should put him with Duncan and Parker and the veterans. Popovich would straighten him out and he'd have motivation to play.

When it hurts to play basketball, and you realize your coach and organization just completely suck, there's no motivation for you to ice bag those knees for 4 hours and get it drained every 5th day. He's a punk but I can understand why he's trying to work his way of that team.
Poor Cavs.

[winsomme]

Looks like to me it's another Miami Heat conspiracy theory a la Michael Beasley.

That's a lot of money to flush down the toilet to go play for the Heat who can't pay him anything....