Andrew Bynum (Photo : REUTERS)
The Dallas Mavericks were barely breathing when DeAndre Jordan decided to renege their previous commitment with them and re-sign with the Los Angeles Clippers a day before the lifting of moratorium on signing free-agents.
But with the report of Deron Williams' intention to join the Mavs after agreeing to a buyout with the Brooklyn Nets and the trade for solid veteran center Zaza Pachulia, Mark Cuban's team is steadily recovering from arguably the most devastating week in franchise's history.
But to further beef up their frontline and eventually put themselves in playoff contention in a very stacked-up Western Conference standings, the Mavericks should perhaps open themselves to an idea of bringing another reclamation project on board, and that is the reconstruction of Andrew Bynum's basketball career.
The Mavericks are desperate to land a center with the capability of making impact on both ends of the floor, as they believe it's the only missing piece of the puzzle for them to contend for another championship. Obviously, Pachulia, who averaged 8.3 points and 6.8 rebounds over his career, isn't going to be that that guy, more so is Bynum.
However, it would be unfair to write off Bynum who, by the way, is just turning 28-years old this October. Over three years ago, the Bynum was the most unstoppable offensive force in the game hands-down, averaging 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds in 35 minutes per contest with the Los Angeles Lakers. Dwight Howard might have been that period's defensive beast, but Bynum was such an offensive powerhouse at that time, so dominant that he earned both All-Star and All NBA nod at the conclusion of 2011-12 season.
Setting aside his mischievous stints with the Philadelphia Sixers (after the blockbuster four-team trade), the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers, Bynum could end up as the man the Mavs are looking for in the interior, albeit in limited minutes.
Bynum, who sat the entire 2014-15 season to give him more time rehabbing his knee, will attempt to make an NBA comeback this coming season, according to his agent David Lee.
The former All-Star center put up 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 20 minutes per game (ESPN Stats) with the Cavaliers, who eventually traded Bynum to the money-saving Chicago Bulls in exchange for small forward Luol Deng in January of that season because of attitude problem. Bynum cleared waivers after he was released by the Bulls, and luckily found another gambler in Pacers.
He actually played well in his two-game Pacers career, recording 9 points and 10 boards in 16 minutes against the Boston Celtics on Mar.11, 2013 and then chalking up 15 points and 9 boards in 20 minutes four days after against the Detroit Pistons. However, the Pacers and Bynum mutually agreed to part ways before the postseason started.
But if there's a one major takeaway from his stint in Indiana, then it would be that he definitely can produce solid numbers despite playing sparingly. The knee issue will always be tied to Bynum, no matter how hard people would dismiss it. Then again, playing for 15 to 20 minutes and be on the floor in crucial minutes of a game is already a big plus for the Mavs.
All Bynum needs now is another chance to show he can play this game the right way. Yes, he's a walking red-flag, both on the mental and physical aspect of it, but Bynum was once a freaking double-double machine, and this kind of center doesn't grow in trees. As bankrupt as the center position could be for the Mavs, perhaps getting their hands dirty on another Bynum experiment won't be such a bad idea at all.
