Andrew Bynum
Almost every bit of information on Bynum’s wobbly knees comes through the filter of his agent, who naturally paints a rather rosy picture of where his client stands in his rehab and allegedly impending return to the court. Bynum, 25, is the most obvious risk in this free-agent class after missing last season, but he brings a greater potential reward than most.
If healthy, Bynum is a definitive No. 3 on the free-agent big board, behind Dwight Howard and Chris Paul. But “if” is a dangerous word in his case, as we’ve now waited through a full season of arbitrary deadlines, public missteps and broken promises of Bynum’s comeback. He’s massive and talented, and his unique allure makes it easy to see an eager team committing too much to sign him. Most NBA executives are relatively risk averse, but productive big men tend to make even the most logical decision-makers lose their minds a bit, injury troubles be damned.
None of this is to imply that Bynum will get the max, or any deal approximating the kind of offers he might have received if healthy. But teams must also grapple with the urge to lock up Bynum on a long-term deal for below-market value, all without yet knowing if he can contribute regularly without posing so much of an injury risk. The temptation to nab a max-level player for a sub-max salary is understandable, and it could pay off big for a team willing to roll the dice. But if the troubles with Bynum’s knees persist, that deal could well become a crippling load on a team’s cap sheet without much hope for relief.
