Andrew Bynum is moving to his very own team. He will be the lone All Star on a team for the first time in his career and he is excited for that opportunity. Bynum has question marks about his knees. That is why he ended up in Philadelphia and not Orlando.
From all reports, the Magic had lingering concerns about Bynum's knees and wanted to avoid the uncertainty of his upcoming free agency. Philadelphia did not have such reservations and the puzzle pieces fit together.
It appears Bynum is not going to let this opportunity slip away and he wants to do what he can to make sure he makes the most of it.
The newest Philadelphia 76er is going to Germany for the same knee procedure Kobe Bryant credits with extending and restoring his career. A source told John Mitchell of Deep Sixer (h/t Scott Schroeder Pro Basketball Talk) that Bynum will head to Germany to have the procedure, which is derived from platelet-rich plasma therapy, intended to extend the life of cartilige in the knee.
The only difference is Bynum has had surgeries on both of his knees and he is significantly younger than the procedure's most famous patients — Kobe Bryant, Grant Hill and Alex Rodriguez. They all had it when they were well into their 30s, Bynum is only 24 years old.
You would think he has a long career in front of him. Maybe the Magic were right to be concerned about his knees and long-term health if he is going to undergo this largely experimental procedure as a precaution for his knees.
The 76ers seem to be very behind Bynum and what he can bring to the team at the center position. He is coming off a career year and his first healthy season since 2010 or possibly even 2007. He earned his first All-Star berth and posted a career-high 18.7 points per game and 11.8 rebounds per game. He showed the consistency that the Lakers were probably looking for when they first drafted him out of high school.
Now he gets to have that consistency for Philadelphia. Or maybe not as he will be in a very different role as the focal point of the offense and of his own team.
Again, Bynum is not ready to let that opportunity slip away. So he goes in for this surgery to make sure he is ready for it.
Time will tell if his knees can handle this new responsibility. Can't blame him for trying.
