Should Philadelphia 76ers Re-Sign Injury-Prone Andrew Bynum?

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Nov 122012
 

The Philadelphia 76ers made headlines this offseason when they traded Olympian Andre Iguodala for all-star center Andrew Bynum. However, Andrew Bynum has yet to suit up for the Sixers because he is still recovering from an offseason knee surgery.

When the Sixers made the deal, they expected their new star center to be ready to play on opening day. Although at the time of the trade it seemed like it was a no-brainer that the Sixers would pursue re-signing Bynum, now it is not so clear what they should do.

Bynum has been injury-prone throughout his young career, so some have questioned whether Bynum is worth a maximum extension. Some fans argue that by re-signing Bynum to a max deal, the Sixers would put themselves back several years because they would not have salary cap flexibility for a long time.

However, the Sixers have given up too much to not pursue re-signing Bynum. 

Essentially, if the Sixers do not attempt to re-sign Bynum, they will be admitting that they made a mistake by trading away Andre Iguodala for a player that will play with the team for just one season.

Here are some of the reasons why Bynum will be a good fit for the Sixers once he returns from injury:

 

1. Second Best Center in the League

Although Dwight Howard has struggled at times this season, there is no question that he is the best center in the league. However, Bynum closed the gap between him and Howard last season. Bynum was completely healthy for the first time in his career last year, and responded by having his best season as a professional. 

Bynum’s statistics also back up the claim that he is now the second best center in the league. Last season Bynum posted a 23.01 player efficiency rating and was second in the NBA only to Howard. In fact, Bynum’s true shooting percentage was actually higher than Dwight Howard’s last season. 

These statistics prove that Bynum has taken the step to become the league’s second best center, and this is exactly why he is worth signing to a maximum contract extension. There is no way that the Sixers can just let Bynum walk after seeing what he did last season.

 

2. Bynum’s Age

Not only is Bynum the league’s second best center, but he is also just 25 years of age. If the Sixers sign him to a maximum contract, they will have him throughout his entire prime of his career. This is not a scenario where if you sign a player to a maximum deal the player will be on the decline during the last two years of his contract. Bynum will be just as good, if not better, as he is now throughout his entire contract extension.

 

3. Bynum’s Rebounding Ability

Rebounding is a major reason that Bynum is now the second best center in the league. He is an elite rebounder and looks like he will only get better as his career goes on.

Bynum’s total rebounding rate was 18.7 last season, which ranked eighth among qualified centers. His rebounding prowess will serve the Sixers well when he returns from injury.

His rebounding ability is another key reason why the Sixers cannot afford to let Andrew Bynum walk after this season. 

 

4. To Keep the Fans Happy

Philadelphia sports fans have been waiting for a superstar since Allen Iverson was traded to the Denver Nuggets in December 2006. Now that the Sixers have a potential superstar in Andrew Bynum, there is no way that they can sell the idea that Bynum was not worth an extension to their fans.

Philadelphia fans are not patient and will not wait six more years for another superstar. In order to keep these fans happy, the Sixers must do everything they can to re-sign Bynum. 

In the end, there is no question that the Sixers will do everything in their power to re-sign Andrew Bynum. Although his injuries are concerning for Sixers fans, there is no question that Bynum will be an absolute stud when he returns to the 76ers’ lineup. 

Andrew Bynum will be a star in this league for a long time to come. The Sixers cannot afford to miss out on the opportunity of having him on their roster. Star centers are a rare commodity in this league, so the Sixers certainly must to do everything in their power to keep Bynum in a 76ers’ uniform.

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The Greatest Players in 76ers Franchise History

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Nov 102012
 

After spending nearly a decade in rebuilding mode, there is a popular school of thought that the Philadelphia 76ers may have finally turned the corner and reached contender status. Fresh off a summer which may have been the most productive in the league (especially considering the early-season implosion by a certain team from Southern California), expectations have reached a level not seen since the days of Allen Iverson, Larry Brown, and a bunch of complimentary pieces who played their role to a tee.

This time around, however, the added pieces have the potential to do more than compliment.

With established veterans like Andrew Bynum, Dorrell Wright, Jason Richardson, and Nick Young joining a still-young and improving nucleus of Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, and Thaddeus Young, et al, the future looks bright in the City of Brotherly Love.

But can any of these future pieces become historic fixtures?

For a franchise which has had its share of memorable moments over the past half-century or so, it has, in turn, spat out its share of memorable players. It remains to be seen if any of this season’s cast of characters will one day join that rank. However, before knowing where we’re going, it can be good to know where we’ve been.

Here is one man’s view of the greatest players, by position, to put on a Sixers uniform, plus the first runner up on the bench.

Agree? Disagree? Comment below and let it be known!

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Philadelphia 76ers: Andrew Bynum Was Worth the Risk, Regardless of His Health

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Nov 082012
 

When the Philadelphia 76ers traded away their best player (Andre Iguodala) and a few young pieces for Andrew Bynum in the summer of 2012, the team knew what it was getting into.

When healthy, Bynum has the potential to be the most dominant center in the Eastern Conference.

Dwight Howard moved to the Los Angeles Lakers in the same trade that brought Bynum to Philadelphia, and there’s no other player who can match Bynum’s size, strength and physicality.

Unfortunately, “when healthy” has been a gigantic question mark over the course of Bynum’s seven-year career, and things haven’t started well in that regards in his eighth season, either.

A week into the 2012-13 season, Bynum has yet to practice or play a game with the team, as he continues to recover from a bone bruise on his right knee. He flew to Germany in September for an unrelated knee procedure, causing him to miss most of the preseason for recovery.

Regardless of how many games Bynum plays this season, it’s important not to lose sight of one simple thing: The Sixers had to pull the trigger on the trade, despite his lengthy history of injuries.

The negatives are undeniable: In seven career years, Bynum has only played in a full 82-game season once.

He’s had surgery on both knees within the past five years (the left in 2008, the right in 2009 and 2010), and has now started his career on the bench for the Sixers with another knee ailment.

Seven-foot, 280-pound men tend to have more knee troubles than your Average Joe, given the amount of weight and pressure being applied with each step.

It’s not inconceivable that Bynum’s knee problems will remain chronic over the rest of his career, limiting his otherwise boundless potential.

If the Sixers had Bynum signed to a long-term contract, this would all be much more of a concern. For now, the franchise gets a year to sit back and evaluate whether Bynum (and his knees) are worth a five-year maximum contract worth nearly $100 million in the summer of 2013.

While Bynum’s health record hasn’t been ideal, he did manage to play in 60 of the 66 games for the Lakers in the 2011-12 season, averaging a career-high 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds en route to his first All-Star game appearance.

Again, the talent is there when he’s healthy. It’s just a matter of how healthy Bynum can stay, both in 2012-13 and in the long term.

Either way, the Sixers made the right move trading for him. Iguodala will always be underrated in Philadelphia and he’s one of the top wing defenders in the league, but his $15 million-plus salary made him nothing but a target back with the 76ers.

Potential franchise centers don’t become available on the trade market every day, and the Sixers had to leap when they did for their chance at a superstar.

Since the end of the first Allen Iverson era in Philadelphia, the Sixers have been a 35- to 40-win mediocre mess of a team, a first-round playoff knockout waiting to happen (that’s happened three times since 2007-08).

Had Derrick Rose not torn his ACL in Game 1 of the first round of the 2012 Eastern Conference playoffs, it’s very likely that the No. 1 seeded Bulls would have trounced the Sixers there, too.

Instead, Rose tore his ACL, the Sixers made a miracle run to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics, but couldn’t finish out the final four minutes of the fourth quarter against the more experienced Boston squad.

Now, with Bynum, the Sixers have a weapon on both ends of the court that few others team can match. That’s something they’ve lacked in the past few seasons.

An “NBA coach who’s studied the Sixers” told ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst that Bynum will allow the Sixers to have a “two-quarterback system,” where they’ll “feature him and play half-court when he’s in the game, and then switch back to playing quicker when he’s out. There aren’t a lot of teams who have the ability to play that way.”

That’s a player worth gambling on.

Worst-case scenario, Bynum’s knees prove problematic all season and the Sixers’ medical staff expresses hesitation at offering him a long-term guaranteed contract.

While the Sixers gave up a good deal to acquire Bynum, they aren’t required to offer him a max guaranteed deal if they truly believe his knees can’t hold up.

And for the record, what would have happened had they held onto Iguodala? He likely would have opted into his player option in 2013-14, but it’s highly unlikely that he’d be re-signing in Philadelphia during the summer of 2014.

Either the Sixers re-sign Bynum in the summer of 2013 and pray his knees hold up for the long term, or start building around point guard Jrue Holiday, who recently signed a four-year, $41 million deal.

No matter which path the Sixers choose, it’s an improvement on the never-ending stream of mediocrity the team was previously stuck in.

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Andrew Bynum’s Knee Injury Won’t Squash the Philadelphia 76ers’ Ceiling

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Nov 052012
 

The Philadelphia 76ers’ much-heralded Andrew Bynum era has started off with a thud.

After acquiring Bynum in the summer of 2012 for swingman Andre Iguodala and a few minor pieces, the Sixers suddenly had a presumed franchise cornerstone again, something missing in Philadelphia since Allen Iverson in the mid-2000s.

One week into the 2012-13 season, however, Bynum still hasn’t suited up for the team.

A bone bruise in his right knee, originally scheduled to keep him out until Oct. 24, is turning out more problematic than expected. As of Nov. 5, Bynum is still out indefinitely, with no public timeline for his return.

The Sixers knew when trading for Bynum that his knees would be one of the major concerns about him. (The others: His semi-regular bouts of immaturity and his upcoming free agency in 2013.)

It’s no exaggeration to say the fate of the Sixers’ 2012-13 season rests with the health of Bynum’s knees, which have been balky to date over his seven-year career.

If this bone bruise subsides in the next few weeks, allowing Bynum to play at least 60 to 65 regular-season games in 2012-13, the team will likely only benefit from his early-season absence.

If it ends up being more serious, limiting Bynum throughout the year, the Sixers’ chances at advancing deep into the playoffs will go up in smoke.

In September, Bynum traveled to Germany for the same Orthokine procedure on his knees that reportedly made former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant feel years younger.

After he returned, the Sixers claimed that they would hold Bynum out from most of the preseason for precautionary reasons.

He felt discomfort before the start of training camp, and the team wanted to provide him maximum recovery time, recognizing that they need a fully healthy Bynum to have any chance of playing deep into May (or June).

His preseason absence may have been a disappointment for Sixers fans, but it could have been a blessing in disguise for the rest of the Sixers’ new offseason acquisitions.

By adding Jason Richardson, Dorell Wright and Nick Young, the team reinvented itself as an inside-outside club, instead of the transition-reliant, half-court-deficient offense that they had run in recent years.

Bynum would provide the muscle inside and help the Sixers improve their half-court game, specifically giving them a dump-off option late in the clock when plays otherwise break down.

Richardson, Wright and Young, meanwhile, would benefit from the theoretical double-teams that Bynum would be drawing, leaving at least one of them wide-open from the wing.

The absence of Bynum means that the Sixers’ inside-outside game won’t thrive as it’s meant to, meaning that the team needs to find other ways to win so long as Bynum remains sidelined.

In theory, this is only a positive.

In the playoffs, teams aren’t guaranteed to dictate their own terms against their opponents. The Sixers may need to win games by trading blows and matching buckets one night, then relying on stout defense the next.

Having Richardson, Wright and Young become accustomed to the Sixers’ old style in Bynum’s absence will only give the team more offensive options when Bynum returns.

Then again, that “when” is becoming more and more of a question.

If Bynum returns within the first 10 or 15 games of the season, the team still has time to acclimate to the post-centric inside-outside game long before the playoffs start.

To date, there’s no reason to believe that Bynum’s knee bruise should keep him out longer than that.

However, there’s always the chance that Bynum’s knee troubles remain chronic throughout the 2012-13 season. If he can’t play at least 45 games, the Sixers could very well struggle to earn a playoff berth.

The Sixers simply need to stay afloat at somewhere around a .500 level while Bynum (and now Richardson, too) remains sidelined.

Whenever Bynum returns, the Sixers have a chance at emerging as one of the elite teams in the East. Until then, the Sixers won’t be much more than the eighth seed they were in the 2011-12 season, despite how defensively solid they appeared in their opening-night victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Call me a hopeless basketball romantic, but I’m still of the mindset that Bynum’s coming back sooner rather than later and that his knee problems won’t prove chronic this season.

He’s admitted that he’d be able to play with the pain, but the Sixers simply want to be cautious, ready to sacrifice a few early November games for a fully healthy Bynum later in the season.

If he’s not healthy come playoff time, though, the Sixers’ chances of getting deep into the playoffs are slim to none.

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Nets eager to start season

 Rumors  No Responses »
Nov 032012
 

After the Nets conducted their seventh practice in nine days since their preseason finale last week, players all but broke into Allen Iverson’s famous rant on Friday at Barclays Center. They pined for Saturday’s season opener, a real NBA contest against the Toronto Raptors that, at the very least, would break the monotony of intrasquad scrimmages in a vacant $1 billion arena.

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Andrew Bynum Injury: Could Sixers Survive 2012-13 Season Without Star Center?

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Oct 302012
 

There’s nothing more dangerous in the NBA than resting the hopes of an entire team on one man’s shoulders.

Enter Andrew Bynum, the Philadelphia 76ers‘ supposed lifeline.

When the Sixers acquired the league’s second best center from the Los Angeles Lakers, championship contention suddenly fell within reach. 

The big man was coming off the best season of his tumultuous career, posting averages of 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per contest. The Sixers were coming off a postseason that saw them nearly push past the Boston Celtics and into the Eastern Conference Finals.

Yet something was missing on both sides.

Bynum was never given the unconditional green light in Los Angeles. He constantly took a backseat to Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, and his shortcomings as both a player and maturing man-child were under constant scrutiny.

Then you had the Sixers, a team who hadn’t tasted the sweet reality of title contention since the days of Allen Iverson and struggled to find an identity under the versatile talents of Andre Iguodala.

But, after this trade, everything would change.

Bynum would continue on his path of superstardom, fully realize his potential and proceed to actualize it. Philadelphia would follow suit, joining the ranks of the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder and Lakers themselves as championship contenders. 

However, as quickly as this long overdue reassurance came, it went. Bynum started to develop problems in his knee. Again.

At 24, the center has not only had surgery on both of his knees, but was forced to undergo a non-invasive procedure this past summer that was supposed to provide some temporary relief.

Apparently, it didn’t. Bynum has yet to play in a preseason game, and according to Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com, he continues to sit out of practice.

Bynum did not practice with right knee discomfort. DiLeo to talk to media.

— Tom Moore (@tmoorepburbs) October 24, 2012

Though setbacks are often unavoidable, Bynum’s is especially complex and disconcerting. 

Centers—courtesy of the banging they do in the post—are susceptible to knee injures more than any other players in the league. After a report by Moore that revealed Bynum needed another two shots in knees, the concern surrounding his health is at an all-time high.

Bynum had two shots Monday in knees. ‘If this team feels like we can’t win without him, we’re not going to win,’ Collins said.

— Tom Moore (@tmoorepburbs) October 24, 2012

Those concerns are sure to stem plenty of doubts moving forward. 

Did the Sixers bite off more than they could chew with Bynum? Did they just trade away a franchise pillar in Iguodala for an injury-prone athlete who will never make the contributions he’s expected to? And, most importantly, is Philadelphia’s season over, even before it officially starts?

Though we’re less than six months into the Bynum experiment, those are a series of legitimate questions.

Bynum was brought into redirect Philadelphia’s fortunes, to shift the tide in the franchise’s favor for a change. But here the team is, preparing for the start of the 2012-13 season, and Bynum is on the sidelines, his return to the court more uncertain than ever.

Because, as Sixers General Manager Tony DiLeo admits (via Moore), with each passing day that Bynum remains a bystander, the less likely it is that he will be ready for Philadelphia’s regular season opener versus the Denver Nuggets. The closer that comes to being a reality, the more likely it is the big man’s return is continuously delayed.

#Sixers Dileo: Every day Bynum misses makes it less likely he plays in Oct. 31 season opener.

— Tom Moore (@tmoorepburbs) October 24, 2012

So yes, it’s fair to question if the Sixers’ season is already over. Their primary pillar is on the shelf and his return is as uncertain as Rajon Rondo’s jump shot.

If he winds up missing extensive time, how is Philadelphia supposed to cope, how is the team supposed to stay in the playoff hunt? Surely the Sixers cannot remain relevant. 

Except that they can.

Even without Bynum, the Sixers are a good team—a versatile unit capable causing matchup headaches.

Are they contenders? Absolutely not, but Bynum has to return some time and Philadelphia is equipped to handle his absence in the interim.

While I could tell you this is because the Sixers have posted a 6-1 preseason record without him or because you need to believe in their youthful core, I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t go beyond that.

For the past two years, I’ve watched Philadelphia from afar. I’ve seen what this largely still intact group can do, saw what they were capable of when Iguodala wasn’t on point. Most notably, I’ve watched their young guns—even the newest ones—evolve right before our very eyes.

Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young are all versatile athletes capable of making a two-way impact; each of them have shown glimpses of star potential. The impact of Lavoy Allen, Spencer Hawes and Jason Richardson remain underrated and even Nick Young has displayed a penchant for selflessness in Philadelphia that we have never seen before.

This is a good team—they just have to remember that.

In the age of super teams, there’s no greater peril than building a championship cause around one player. Just look at where the Dallas Mavericks are at right now.

This is why the Sixers cannot panic; they cannot already deem a season that has yet to begin a lost cause. They can, however, combat the enemy that has become Bynum’s health, weathering the storm that is their best player’s durability.

They can overcome this latest setback of Bynum’s and they can overcome the one Moore reveals will come months from now when he receives two more of the same shots.

#Sixers #Bynum had Synvisc-One shots in both knees Monday and plans to have two more over all-star break. 3rd year in a row he’s done this.

— Tom Moore (@tmoorepburbs) October 24, 2012

Why? Because they’re deep enough, diverse enough, balanced enough and young enough to put up a superstar-less fight.

We watched the Denver Nuggets navigate the minefield that is the Western Conference without an All-Star for the better part of two years, so why not the Sixers? Why not this team? Why can’t they hold it together in the wide-open Eastern Conference?

Those are exactly the types of questions this team needs to ask themselves. After all, as head coach Doug Collins admits (via Moore), even when Bynum returns, there is no telling how long it will take for him to regain his form.

#Sixers Collins: ‘I have no idea how long it will take (to get Bynun ready once he gets on court.’

— Tom Moore (@tmoorepburbs) October 24, 2012

So now is not a time to doubt in the Sixers, or for them to doubt in their own, Bynum-less potential. Now is a time for them to decide what type of team they want to be.

Do they want to go as far as Bynum alone can take them or are they prepared to establish an identity outside of their superstar center? Is Jrue Holiday prepared to run this offense? Are Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner and Holiday ready to carry the scoring burden? Will Allen and Hawes step up defensively? Will this team stay the course and continue to fight for a playoff spot, with or without Bynum?

You see, it’s not a question, or series of questions, of “can” they, it’s one of “will” they.

The Sixers can survive without Bynum, but only if they believe they can.  As Collins said, “If this team feels like we can’t win without him, we’re not going to win.”

As such, the season ahead is only as lost as the Sixers make it to be.

 

Follow @danfavale

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Andrew Bynum Injury: Is Sixers 2012-13 Season over Before It Starts?

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Oct 242012
 

There’s nothing more dangerous in the NBA than resting the hopes of an entire team on one man’s shoulders.

Enter Andrew Bynum, the Philadelphia 76ers’ supposed lifeline.

When the Sixers acquired the league’s second best center from the Los Angeles Lakers, championship contention suddenly fell within reach.

Both Bynum and Philly were completely deserving of such jovial and lofty aspirations.

The big man was coming off the best season of his tumultuous career, posting averages of 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per contest. And the Sixers were coming off a postseason that saw them nearly push past the Boston Celtics and into the Eastern Conference Finals.

Yet something was missing on either side.

Bynum had never been given the unconditional green light in Los Angeles. He constantly took a backseat to Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, and his shortcomings as both a player and maturing persona were under constant scrutiny.

Then you had the Sixers, a team who hadn’t tasted the sweet reality of title contention since the days of Allen Iverson and who struggled to find a general identity under the versatile talents of Andre Iguodala.

But, after this trade, everything would change.

Bynum would continue on his path of superstardom, fully realize his potential and proceed to actualize it. And Philadelphia would follow suit, joining the ranks of the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder and Lakers themselves—they were to become championship contenders.

However, as quickly as this long overdue reassurance came, it went. Bynum started to develop problems in his knee.

Again.

At 24, the center has not only had surgery on both of his knees, but was forced to undergo a non-invasive procedure this past summer that was supposed to provide some temporary relief.

Apparently, though, it didn’t. Bynum has yet to play in a preseason game, and according to Tom Moore of phillyBurbs.com, he continues to sit out of practice.

Bynum did not practice with right knee discomfort. DiLeo to talk to media.

— Tom Moore (@tmoorepburbs) October 24, 2012

Though setbacks are often unavoidable, Bynum’s is especially complex and disconcerting. 

Centers—courtesy of the banging they do in the post—are susceptible to knee injures more than any other players in the league. That said, Bynum is still supposed to be a source of youth, and after a report by Moore that revealed he needed another two shots in knees, the concern surrounding his health is at an all-time high.

Bynum had two shots Monday in knees. ‘If this team feels like we can’t win without him, we’re not going to win,’ Collins said.

— Tom Moore (@tmoorepburbs) October 24, 2012

And from those concerns stems doubts; and those doubts breed panic.

Did the Sixers bite off more than they could chew with Bynum? Did they just trade away a franchise pillar in Iguodala for an injury-prone athlete who will never make the contribution he’s expected to? And, most importantly, is Philadelphia’s season over, even before it officially starts?

Though we’re less than six months into the Bynum experiment, those are a legitimate series of questions.

Bynum was brought into redirect Philadelphia’s fortunes, to shift the tide in the franchise’s favor for a change.

But here the team is, preparing for the start of the 2012-13 season, and Bynum is on the sidelines, his return to the court more uncertain than ever.

Because, as Sixers General Manager Tony DiLeo admits (via Moore), with each passing day that Bynum remains a bystander, the less likely it is that he will be ready for Philadelphia’s regular season opener versus the Denver Nuggets. And the closer that comes to being a reality, the more likely it is the big man’s return is continuously delayed.

#Sixers Dileo: Every day Bynum misses makes it less likely he plays in Oct. 31 season opener.

— Tom Moore (@tmoorepburbs) October 24, 2012

So yeah, it’s fair to question if the Sixers’ season is already over. Their primary pillar is on the shelf and his return is as uncertain as Rajon Rondo’s jump shot.

If he winds up missing extensive time, how is Philadelphia supposed to cope, how is it supposed to stay in the playoff hunt? Surely the Sixers cannot remain relevant, or even postseason-worthy without Bynum.

Except that they can.

Even without Bynum, the Sixers are a good team, a versatile unit capable causing matchup headaches.

Are they contenders? Absolutely not, but Bynum has to return some time and Philadelphia is equipped enough to handle his absence in the interim.

While I could tell you this is because the Sixers have posted a 6-1 preseason record without him or while I could simply explain that you need to believe in their youthful core, I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t go beyond that.

For the past two years, I’ve watched Philadelphia from afar. I’ve seen what this largely still intact group can do, saw what they were capable of when Iguodala wasn’t on point. And most notably, I’ve watched their young guns—even the newest ones—evolve right before our very eyes.

Jrue Holiday, Even Turner and Thaddeus Young are all versatile athletes capable of making a two-way impact; each of them have star-esque potential. The impact of Lavoy Allen, Spencer Hawes and Jason Richardson remain underrated and even Nick Young has displayed a penchant for efficiency and selflessness in Philadelphia that we have never seen before.

This is a good team.

And they have to remember that.

Because in the age of super teams, there’s no greater peril than building a championship cause around one player. Just look at where the Dallas Mavericks are at right now.

Which is why the Sixers cannot panic, they cannot already deem a season that has yet to begin a lost cause. They can, however, combat the enemy that has become Bynum’s health; they can weather the storm that is their best player’s durability.

They can overcome this latest setback of Bynum’s and they can overcome the one Moore reveals will come months from now when he receives two more of the same shots.

#Sixers #Bynum had Synvisc-One shots in both knees Monday and plans to have two more over all-star break. 3rd year in a row he’s done this.

— Tom Moore (@tmoorepburbs) October 24, 2012

Because they’re deep enough, diverse enough, balanced enough and young enough to put up a superstar-less fight.

We watched the Denver Nuggets navigate the minefield that is the Western Conference without an All-Star for the better part of two years, so why not the Sixers? Why not this team? Why can they not hold it together in the wide-open Eastern Conference?

Those are exactly the types of questions this team needs to ask themselves. After all, as head coach Doug Collins admits (via Moore again), even when Bynum returns, there is no telling how long it will take for him to regain his form.

#Sixers Collins: ‘I have no idea how long it will take (to get Bynun ready once he gets on court.’

— Tom Moore (@tmoorepburbs) October 24, 2012

So now is not a time to doubt in the Sixers, or for them to doubt in their own, Bynum-less potential.

Now is a time for them to decide what type of team they want to be.

Do they want to go as far as Bynum alone can take them or are they prepared to establish an identity outside of their superstar? Is Jrue Holiday prepared to run this offense? Are Nick Young, Thaddeus Young, Turner and Holiday as well, ready to carry the scoring burden? Will Allen and Hawes step up defensively? And will this team stay the course, continue to fight for a playoff spot, with or without Bynum?

You see, it’s not a question, or series of questions, of “can” they, it’s one of “will” they.

Philadelphia can survive without Bynum; the Sixers can still salvage season.

But only if they believe they can.

Because as Collins said, “If this team feels like we can’t win without him, we’re not going to win.”

As such, the season ahead is only as lost or fulfilling as the Sixers’ deem it to be.

 

Follow @danfavale

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7 Biggest Questions for Philadelphia 76ers as Andrew Bynum Era Begins

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Oct 162012
 

The Andrew Bynum era has officially begun for the Philadelphia 76ers.

This could certainly be quite a ride.

Potential and promise are words that will be thrown around, but acquiring Bynum in Philadelphia‘s biggest trade since moving Allen Iverson to the Denver Nuggets comes with a lot of questions.

The man hasn’t been a poster-child for good behavior and isn’t looked at as much of a team player. Still though, one thing cannot be overlooked: His talent.

Bynum is one of the two best centers in the NBA. He runs the floor exceptionally well and finishes around the rim with ease. On top of that, his defense is game-changing when he gets the urge to play it.

So what does that mean for the team that got him? 

It means that the Sixers have some questions to answer.

Here’s a look at the seven biggest questions for Philadelphia as they begin the Andrew Bynum era.

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Will Philadelphia 76ers Fans Embrace Andrew Bynum Era Even Without a Title?

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Oct 012012
 

For those of you who are younger Philadelphia 76ers fans like myself, there have been few instances in your lifetime that have engendered a real sense of pride in the Sixers. The glory days of Allen Iverson came and went, but there was so much mediocrity on the front and back ends of the 2000-01 championship run that apathy towards professional basketball in Philadelphia quickly became the norm.

Financial debacles by ownership rattled the consciousness of the Philadelphia basketball collective for much of the last decade, and poor performance ultimately made progress feel like an unattainable light at the end of the tunnel.

More than a decade after the Sixers’ revered quest for a championship came to a screeching halt in five games at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers, new ownership has assembled a product that feels like a true winner.

An offseason revitalization project saw more familiar faces depart than return, and that was just fine with the fans. Gone are veteran staples Lou Williams, Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand and in are a melting pot of shooters and big men that will need to mesh with a young core in order to succeed.

The centerpiece of the team’s facelift is All-Star center (and NBA Champion) Andrew Bynum, who is widely considered one of the league’s premier big men. Whether he’s better than Dwight Howard is still up for debate, but we’ll let this season help decide that.

Bringing in a player of Bynum’s stature means raising the levels of expectation across the board, but that’s something the Sixers organization and their fans have been craving for some time now.

When I think of short-term expectations for a team like the Sixers, a second round playoff exit seems fair and anything past that would be a pleasant surprise. Fans will instantly point towards division and even conference titles, but the fact remains that the players on this team are unfamiliar with each other, and they will require a good chunk of time to find their identity as a group.

While it feels like the Sixers suddenly transformed from pretender into contender, fans will have to be patient. It seems like a difficult concept to grasp, but it will be essential to getting the most out of this season. This team overachieved last season thanks to some timely injuries (Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah) and a resilient second-round performance, so meeting a similar fate this season shouldn’t be out of the question.

Simply put: An NBA Title feels out of reach this season for the Sixers. Don’t get your hopes up, because this team will have too many obstacles to overcome in order to produce championship caliber ball on a consistent basis.

While the first year of the Bynum era may be the most fun for fans, it likely won’t result in a parade down Broad Street. As the future rolls on, fans’ patience may wear thin. After all, we’re talking about Philadelphia.

Where things get more interesting is in the long-term, where the Sixers’ future appears hazy at the moment. Bynum is a free-agent after this season, but it’s been widely speculated (h/t to ProBasketballTalk) that Bynum will forgo signing an extension in order to enter free-agency in the summer, ultimately netting him a max-deal from the Sixers. 

After the 2012-13 season, the Sixers have five players coming off the books, and that doesn’t count Jrue Holiday, who’s due for a qualifying offer. As new ownership has already exemplified, they are in the business of winning games, which has to have fans confident that they will continue to look at adding big pieces next summer.

Offseason additions like Nick Young and Dorell Wright will be headed for free-agency, and it will be up to the front office to surround Bynum with talent that’s most conducive to his playing style.

Until fans have an extensive look at their refurbished team, they will have to understand that this is a fluid situation that will require adjustments down the line. The pieces aren’t all going to fit perfectly from the get-go, but so far, proper steps are being taken to build a contender.

Given the franchise’s abysmal play for much of the last ten years, it’s likely that Bynum will get a pass for some time. For once, fans will be happy to known they’re supporting a team that’s not allergic to winning. That fact alone will have the fan base content.

It’s the dawning of a new day for basketball in Philadelphia, and fans should welcome it with open arms.

Read more Philadelphia 76ers news on BleacherReport.com

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Are Philadelphia 76ers Committing to Andrew Bynum as Franchise Star Too Early?

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Sep 262012
 

After Andrew Bynum‘s first few days as a Philadelphia 76er, you couldn’t help but share in the feeling that it was just meant to be.

The 24-year-old himself sounds perfectly smitten (via AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston):

”My first experiences here have been so great,” Bynum said, ”I’m really leaning toward making this my home.”

Was it love at first sight or the ruminations of a dejected superstar still on the rebound? More importantly, how do the Philadelphia 76ers feel about their long-term prospects with the All-Star center?

PhillyBurbs.com’s Tom Moore reports that while the two sides have yet to discuss a contract extension, it’s likely only a matter of time before they begin working something out:

“His agent said he wants to come to the surroundings and see the team, see the atmosphere,” [76ers GM Tony] DiLeo said. “He’s been very, very happy. His agent said he hasn’t seen him this happy in a long time.

“I think everything will work out. I think we’ll like Andrew and Andrew will like it here. At the appropriate time, we’ll do the negotiations.”

And what’s not to like? Bynum gives Philly the closest thing it’s had to a superstar in his prime since Allen Iverson, and Philly gives Bynum an opportunity to thrive and contend on a young team headed in the right direction.

But the 76ers’ decision isn’t quite as clear-cut as you might think.

For one thing, there is some business to attend to. Philadelphia can either lock Bynum up for three years by extending him in February (the earliest at which it can do so on account of his acquisition via trade), or it can wait until this summer and offer him a five-year deal in free agency.

Both scenarios come with their shares of risks and rewards.

Bynum would obviously cost less over the long term if he agrees to an extension prior to the offseason. Philadelphia would also avoid the most catastrophic outcome: being weighed down by an injury-riddled flop for five years.

On the other hand, waiting would give the organization a season’s worth of time to observe Bynum, ensuring that he’s a good fit with the roster and watching for any signs of knee problems that would seriously complicate an otherwise budding relationship.

There’s an all-too-disturbing precedent for those knee problems, one that stunted Bynum’s development in Los Angeles and could still threaten to derail a promising career.

It’s enough of a concern that the seven-footer recently traveled to Germany for a procedure designed to reduce inflammation in his knees (a treatment similar to the one Kobe Bryant famously received in 2011).

The 76ers’ front office may not be worried just yet, but that could change in a heartbeat.

Caution notwithstanding, Philadelphia really has no choice but to seal the deal with Bynum. Though it’s not quite a matter of “settling,” there’s a compelling argument to be made that the franchise won’t find another big man this good for a long time to come.

He scores, he rebounds, he defends—he’s everything you’d want to build a roster around, so long as he’s healthy of course. He’s also one of the rare big men who’s actually skilled and capable of getting his baskets via a wide array of post moves.

No, you don’t pass up an opportunity like this one. There may be some red flags, but no important investment comes without the potential for disaster.

Let the finger-crossing begin.

Read more Philadelphia 76ers news on BleacherReport.com

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