Pacers sign Bynum; won’t play Saturday
By CHRIS GOFF
The Indiana Pacers signed Andrew Bynum on Saturday after the center had remained without a team for nearly four weeks, and the club hopes to integrate the Cavaliers and Bulls castoff into games later this month.
“We are obviously happy to have him join our team,” Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird said in a statement distributed by the team. “He gives us added size, he is a skilled big man, and he has championship experience. With the minutes he gets, he should be a valuable addition.”
Bynum, a former All-Star center who alienated Cavaliers teammates, coaches and fans and earned an indefinite suspension, was signed after meeting with Bird on Friday night and returning to the team facilities early Saturday.
“There’s a good chance that it will (work out),” coach Frank Vogel said. “We’ve got a great culture here, a team-first mentality. He’s not coming to be our savior. He’s coming to bring depth. We feel he’ll fit right in.”
He inked an incentive-laden contract with Cleveland before the season and was waived by Chicago on Jan. 7 after the Bulls traded Luol Deng in return for Bynum and a pair of draft choices.
The Pacers were expected to sign him for a prorated share of the veteran’s minimum of $1.3 million.
Bynum, 26, has played in only 24 regular-season games since the Los Angeles Lakers surrendered him in the Dwight Howard blockbuster trade after the 2011-12 season.
“It really wasn’t a hard decision,” Bynum said in a team release. “I think it’s the right fit for me. In all honesty, I think we’ve got the best chance of winning.”
Bynum is expected to back up Roy Hibbert at center, a role filled since last season by Ian Mahinmi. Bynum, who is more of a scorer, has been a starter most of his career; Mahinmi has struggled with fouls and is shooting just 42.4 percent from the field this year.
Vogel acknowledged that Mahinmi was disappointed but said he handled news of his eventual demotion in a professional manner.
“It will be great to back up Roy,” Bynum said. “I’ll do whatever I can to help this team.”
Bynum was recovering from bilateral bone bruises in training camp with Philadelphia in 2012 and then had season-ending knee surgery before ever playing a game for the 76ers.
After the Cavaliers cited him for “detrimental conduct,” Bynum has not played since Dec. 26.
“We’ve got to make sure he gets himself in appropriate game shape,” Vogel said. “It’ll be a few weeks. He’s really eager. He’s ready to work. He hasn’t stopped working. We’ll get him in there as soon as possible.”
Even before his latest injury and chemistry woes, Bynum was often unreliable during his seven years in Los Angeles, from continual absences due to knee trouble and infamously clubbing Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea in a playoff elimination game.
In 2011-12, Bynum’s best season, he averaged 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds a game.
“We’re in the now,” Bird said. “If we get a chance to improve our team, we do that. We’ll see how it all works out. I think it’s a great upside for us.”
Asked about Bynum’s physical condition, Bird said the team’s medical staff “really doesn’t know a lot.”
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