Meet Andrew Bynum, the NBA’s $24 Million Welfare Bum!; Overpaid, Former All-Star Has “Lost His Joy for Basketball”

Re-posted by Nicholas Stix
 

Cavaliers suspend

Andrew Bynum as

negative influence

Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick
December 28, 2013, 4:15 p.m. EST
USA TODAY Sports

Bynum has averaged 8.4 points in 24 games this season.(Photo: David Richard, USA TODAY Sports)

The Cleveland Cavaliers have suspended Andrew Bynum indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team, general manager Chris Grant announced Saturday.

Bynum has not bought in to what the Cavaliers are trying to accomplish, and with a young a team, he had turned into a negative influence, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports.

The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the sensitive nature of the situation.

Cleveland signed Bynum to a two-year, $24.5 million contract this summer despite the former All-Star center missing the entire 2012-13 season with knee injuries. If they waive him by Jan. 7, only $6 million of his deal is guaranteed.

It's unclear if the Cavs would be willing to release him before Jan. 7 if they can't find a trade partner. But they do let him go, a person with knowledge of the situation said that the Los Angeles Clippers would have serious interest in signing him.

The Clippers have a lack of depth behind Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan in their frontcourt and are well aware they need help in that department, especially in the tough Western Conference. Bryon Mullens and Ryan Hollins are averaging a combined 5.2 points and three rebounds per game in the post.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of personnel decisions.

The Brooklyn Nets, who just lost center Brook Lopez to a broken right foot, are not planning to seek Bynum, through trade or a straight signing, according to a person familiar with the Nets thinking.

Lopez's injury could keep him out for the rest of the season. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the private nature of personnel decisions.

In early November, Bynum said he had lost his joy for basketball, and the person told USA TODAY Sports he is still struggling with that.

The situation had been building over the past month, and it reached a tipping point at practice Friday. There was no outburst or physical alternation – just a continued insistence from Bynum to do what he wants with little regard to team goals. The person said if Bynum wasn't committed 100% there is no reason for him to be with the team right now.

Bynum has started 19 of the 24 games he's played for Cleveland, averaging 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 20 minutes per game. For the past 12 games, he has averaged 10.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and shooting 45.1% from the field, all while playing 23.3 minutes.

Contributing: Sean Highkin