What Is Your Opinion On A Healthy Andrew Bynum?

[TMagic]

When talking to Skip and SAS, Skip said that he thought that a healthy Andrew Bynum was better than Dwight. SAS proceeded to laugh in his face.

I didn't have that same reaction. I actually don't think Skip is that far off. When I think about Bynums size, skill set, and attitude, I think he could very well be better than Dwight. Of coarse all this is with a healthy Bynum.

For those of you that would still pick Howard, why? What things would you say that Howard better at?

I think back to the 08 season. The Lakers were good that year, even before they even received Gasol. It was the outstanding play and quick development of Bynum that was one of the major factors that led to the Lakers' improved play from the previous year (in addition to Kobe's changed approach to games). Bynum's increased production was the main reason Kobe was kept happy, when he was demanding trades. And that was just his third year. He was just 20 at the time.

If Bynum doesn't get injured in 08, then the Pau deal may have never happened at all. They were playing that well with Bynum as the main big man on the team.

I think if Bynum was able to stay healthy, he and Howard would be 1a and 1b as far as centers are concerned and Bynum would be mentioned as one of the leagues best players, much like Howard is now. He's that good in my eyes.

So I'm just wondering about everyone's thoughts on Andrew Bynum. And if, hypothetically speaking, Andrew Bynum stays healthy, is he better than Howard?

[Rockie_Fresh88]

I think Howard world still be better because of strength, athleticism, and defensive presence. However a healthy bynum would be wayy better offensively in the post than Dwight. Great potential rivalry imo.

No doubt allstar talent. Why are we saying could have? He just turned 24...

[TMagic]

And here are both players at 20 years old:


Andrew (7'0, 285)...13.1 ppg on 8.5 att...64% FG...70% FT...10.2 reb...2.1 blk...1.7 asts...1.5 TO

Dwight (6'11, 265)...15.8 ppg on 10.7 att..53% FG...60% FT...12.5 reb...1.4 blk...1.5 asts...2.6 TO

Andrew-28.8 MPG, 2.8 PF
Dwight- 36.9 MPG, 3.4 PF

[The 24th Letter]

Lets look past his goon actions. I think Bynum could easily be the best big man in the game when healthy...

He doesn't have Howard's defense but his touch, footwork, rebounding are phenomenal. I think we will see even more of this now that he's not on a short leash in LA

[LingeringRegime]

I think that a weak kneed Bynum who is mean is worse than a happy Howard wearing a Laker Unifom who will get whistles he never got in ORL.

I doubt that Bynum will ever be healthy.

[PrettyT11]

SAS was right for laughing in his face and I would have too. I'm sorry but i don't care if you gave Bynum two brand new legs he still wouldn't in the same class as Dwight. Dwight's physical grifts trumps Bynum's all day.

As far as offensively goes yes Bynum has a slightly better post game (Dwight's showed very good improvement last year) but Dwight still gives you 20 plus on 60 percent shooting while being double and tripled all night(something Bynum doesn't have to deal with). So even if Bynum has better post moves his offensive production doesn't match Dwight's. As far as rebounding goes yes Bynum is a good rebounder but outside of Kevin Love nobody controls the glass like Dwight.

The biggest gap between them though and what puts Dwight so far ahead in my book is on the defensive end. Dwight changes the game defensively far more than anybody in the league and its not even remotely close. There is a reason Dwight has won three straight DPOY awards. He has been the league leader in defensive win shares the past four years, defensive rating the past three, and blocked shots two of the last three. Now think of those numbers and look at the guys he has had around him defensively. He has had Orlando ranked very high defensively with nothing but below average defenders around him. Just imagine how much more he could do defensively if he had wing defenders like Kobe and Artest instead of Vince, Jason Richardson, and Hedo. Now Imagine what he could do if he had legit PF's like Gasol and LO next to him instead of Lewis and Bass.

Dwight has lead his team to an NBA finals and another ECF. That should speak volumes about where he could take a team and what he could do if he had others great players around him. If you switched him and Bynum Orlando would be a first round loss at the very best but I could also see them not making the playoffs at all. I honestly believe if the Lakers had Dwight instead of Bynum after the Gasol trade they would be the four time defending champs.

[Drewski]

A healthy Andrew Bynum is why Jim Buss is so resistant to trading the house away along with him. Andrew Bynum is definitely an amazingly high potential center in the league.

Lets keep in mind - he is only 24 years of age.

A healthy Bynum will dominate the league with Dwight for the foreseeable future. Bynum plays hard, has a great offensive skill set, and is a great defender. I like Bynum's footwork as well, I feel like I see him position himself well in the post, around the paint, all the time because he knows how to use his body. He's an aggressive rebounder as well. Not to mention, Bynum doesn't give a damn. He isn't phased by anything. Not injury. Not the CONSTANT talks of him being traded for, what, the last 4 or 5 years? Since Kobe was crying about wanting Kidd for Bynum. Guy just continued to develop his game and body. Lamar Odom was crying on Stephen A. Smith's show because he was "traded" (nothing but respect, he's a passionate and emotional guy. So be it, he played his heart out for the Lakers it's beyond disappointing it went the way it did). Gasol is tweeting #StayPositive and other inspirational garb. Bynum? Guy doesn't care. If I'm getting trade send me out there I'm ready to dominate. If not? Lets get it, I'm here to be a Laker.

Dwight waffling about this whole ordeal really has bothered me. He has had all the time in the world to prepare for this point, he needed to be ready one way or the other this off-season. If he was going to play out the year with the Magic he needed to say, "I fully intend to play out the season with the Magic and do not want to be traded.". Instead, all the talk is about where he would like to be traded. "I love Orlando it's the only place in the World I want to play,", alright, no big deal. But don't go back and forth. If you want something, whether it's to become a better post scorer, or finding your way to another team because you do not intend to extend your contract (allowing your team to receive maximum value they can find), you do it. If Dwight wanted to be a Laker, and had the heart to say it, he'd be a Laker already. If Dwight Howard wanted to stay in Orlando - and I believe he does on a personal level - we wouldn't even have to mention this. I prefer Andrew Bynum's method when it comes to uncertainty of being traded.

But Bynum? He's heard it behind his back his whole career. Doesn't even phase him. He came back to camp, after a disappointing season, when everyone expects the Lakers to make a move for Dwight, in the BEST SHAPE of his career. Why? Because he wants it. And he's only 24. Say what you want about his health, but I think he's going to be fine. Shaq missed 30 games his 3rd year? And one of Bynum's injuries was freakish (Kobe crashing into his knee).

Thing is, Dwight has -it-. I think Drew has immense potential and can be the best big man in the league, besides Dwight. Besides Dwight. Dwight Howard is currently a better center than Andrew Bynum, and has immaculate health. He has freak like strength and athleticism. He is a better defender. And as it stands, he has proven he can carry a team. I don't doubt that a healthy Bynum could, but we haven't seen it proven consistently yet.

If Andrew Bynum is healthy, and we have seen him consistently carry the team when needed, there's no reason to seek Dwight Howard. Let's break Pau down into the PG of the future and a very good PF (what did Jim Buss have Mitch focus on first? Oh ho ho ho).

But here we are. As simple as it sounds, Lakers have a lot of thinking to do as well.

Have to think Jim Buss felt having CP3/Bynum was a better future than building around Dwight.

[ManiacMatt1782]

Isn't that the same as Sasquatch? a mythological creature that noone has proof that it actually exists.