NBA: CAVALIERS TO PART WAYS WITH ANDREW BYNUM
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Sunday, December 29, 2013
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danielmjema.blogspot.com
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 Cavs also canceled the scheduled Andrew Bynum Fathead giveaway they had planned for Sunday night's game against the Golden State Warriors.
Instead, fans age 14 and under will be given a voucher to redeem for a
different Fathead tradeable pack for five consecutive weeks. The
14-and-under fans also will receive a voucher for two tickets to an
upcoming game. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert owns the Fathead company.
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.
Bynum, 26, signed a two-year deal worth $24.8 million with
the Cavs prior to the season. Only $6 million of the $12.2 million Bynum
is due this season is guaranteed if he is waived before Jan. 7. He
could be attractive to teams looking to shed some salary because they
could acquire him for a player with a similar contract and save $6
million by waiving Bynum.
Bynum also could try to negotiate a
buyout with the Cavaliers and seek to sign a contract for the veteran's
minimum with a contending team if he clears waivers.Bynum did not travel with the team to Boston for Saturday's game against the Boston Celtics. The Cavaliers said he has been excused from all team activities indefinitely.
Bynum
has averaged 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 19.5 minutes in 24 games with
the Cavaliers. He had four points and one rebound in 17 minutes in a
127-125 double overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.
Bynum won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers
but has missed repeated time throughout his career because of knee
injuries. He did not play a single game for the Philadelphia 76ers last
season after they acquired him from the Lakers.
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