Mar 02, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Andrew Bynum (33) looks up at the scoreboard during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers defeated the Warriors 104-97. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
CENTER – Andrew Bynum
It was midway through last season and Bynum found himself – mysteriously and suddenly – a free agent after less than half a season in Cleveland. Miami fans clamored for Bynum to be signed to deal with the devastating force that is Roy Hibbert. Instead, Indiana added kerosene to their burning trash heap of a season by “stealing” Bynum away from the Heat.
In addition to signing Turner, these moves were going to propel the Pacers past Miami on their way to the NBA Finals.
Didn’t quite work out that way, as many could have predicted. Bynum is now the very definition of a locker room cancer, a 7-foot tumor with low-post moves and an afro.
He burned bridges in Los Angeles (perhaps literally) and had the lowlight of the 2011 playoffs when he committed a flagrant foul against the Dallas Mavericks in a 30-point loss. In Philadelphia, Bynum is hated more than Santa Claus. The Cavs nearly imploded because of Bynum, as detailed by Adrian Wojnarowski:
"Before Bynum was thrown out of his final practice and suspended, he was shooting the ball every time he touched it in a practice scrimmage, sources said – from whatever remote part of the court he had caught the ball."
As for the Pacers and their big mid-season acquisition? He played in just two games for Indiana and the team struggled through the end of the season and in the playoffs. Bynum’s presence may not be a direct correlation but, for Miami’s sake, it’s a risk Pat Riley can’t afford to take.