Sixers GM Tony DiLeo, who announced last night that Andrew Bynum will remain sidelined indefinitely, said he anticipates the team's key offseason acquisition will return at some point, but said he's prepared in case Bynum doesn't come back, as Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com documents.
"We hope he will be back," DiLeo said. "We have plans for the future if he is not back with us, but we are anticipating this is a short-term thing. We want to plan on him for the long term."
Bynum, who is experiencing pain in both knees that has confused doctors, will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and it's unclear if DiLeo's "plans for the future" involve this season or subsequent years. HoopsWorld's Lang Greene speculated the Sixers, who have an open roster spot, could go after free agents Eddy Curry and Kenyon Martin, which would address Bynum's immediate absence. Kyrylo Fesenko and Chris Andersen are among other big men on the Hoops Rumors list of available free agents.
If the Sixers knew Bynum was out for the season, they could seek a trade, Moore says, but with a roster built to take advantage of Bynum with outside shooters, he advises the team to patiently await the return of their 7'0" center. Philadelphia has gone 7-6 without Bynum appearing in a game yet this season.