Andrew Bynum Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Fallout From Andrew Bynum’s Deal With Cavs

July 10th, 2013 at 9:27pm CST by Chuck Myron

Plenty of deals have become official today, the first day after the July Moratorium, but the biggest story involves an agreement struck this evening, with Andrew Bynum and his balky knees heading to the Cavs. The deal is only guaranteed for $6MM, and according to USA Today's Sam Amick, "enormous protections" are in place that would make it difficult for Bynum to get his full $12MM salary this year unless he's healthy (Twitter link). The Cavs are realisitc about Bynum's injury troubles, and are simply hopeful he'll be ready for training camp, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com tweets. Here's more reaction to Cleveland's gamble:

Some teams were turned off on Bynum this summer because of questions surrounding his willingness to aggressively rehab, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. He still isn't healthy enough to take part in full-court drills, TNT's David Aldridge hears.
Neither the Hawks nor the Mavs made a formal offer to Bynum after he met with the teams this week, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
Several executives told Chris Mannix of SI.com that they wouldn't give Bynum any more than a one-year deal for the mid-level exception (Twitter link). As Mannix points out, the Cavs gave him a deal that's only guaranteed for about the same amount of money as the non-taxpayer's mid-level.
On Monday, well before the Bynum signing, a source told Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that he wouldn't be surprised to see the Cavs re-sign Luke Walton if Bynum wound up in Cleveland (Twitter link).
A Cavs executive told Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer that the team understands the risk involved with Bynum's knees. Still, the club is willing to take him on because of his upside, the exec says (on Twitter).
Similarly, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal hears there's skepticism within the Cavs organization that Bynum will ever be the player he once was (Twitter link). The contract is well worth the risk anyway, Lloyd says.
With Bynum joining a crowded frontcourt in Cleveland, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel figures it puts the Cavs out of the running for Greg Oden, who's also reportedly a target of the Heat (Twitter link).
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com looks at how Bynum could fit in with the Cavs, assuming he's healthy all season.

Andrew Bynum Rumors: Wednesday

July 10th, 2013 at 5:39pm CST by Luke Adams

We heard yesterday that Andrew Bynum may make a decision on his next team by the end of the night, but that turned out not be the case. As I suggested on Tuesday, it didn't make a ton of sense for Bynum to announce a decision before his meeting with the Mavericks, which is scheduled for today. For now, agent David Lee says there's no timetable for his client's decision, adding that it "might" happen this week, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Here are the rest of today's Bynum updates:

Lee wants to engage the Cavs in another dialogue tonight or tomorrow, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. Still, the team isn't going to wait on Bynum, and while it hasn't pulled its offer, Cleveland will keep looking at other options (Twitter links).

Earlier updates:

Of the $24MM the Cavs offered Bynum over two years, only $6MM is guaranteed, says ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). However, that still makes it the highest offer Bynum currently has on the table.
The Mavericks' interest in Bynum remains serious enough after today's meeting that they're having "a medical discussion" and weighing an offer, GM Donnie Nelson indicated (link via Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News).
Asked if Bynum would make a decision today, agent David Lee told the Plain Dealer (Twitter link) that "it takes two to make an agreement." That suggests to me that negotiations are ongoing and that there's not necessarily an offer on the table that Bynum likes.
Earlier today, we heard that the Sixers haven't entirely ruled out the possibility of bringing back Bynum. Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio also heard that the Cavs believed Bynum may prefer to play in Dallas.
Many league executives feel like it will be difficult for the Hawks or Mavericks to top the Cavaliers' offer to Bynum, says Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
According to Amico, the Cavs and Hawks have been provided with Bynum's most recent medical results, and one source says they're "not bad."
Amico hears from multiple league sources that Bynum's problems with the Sixers may not have been entirely health-related, with several of those sources hinting at a friction between Bynum and the organization.
Whether or not they land Bynum, the Cavs may be open to moving a power forward, says Amico, noting that Anderson Varejao, Tristan Thompson, Earl Clark, Anthony Bennett, and Kevin Jones are all capable of playing the position.
While the Cavs' offer to Bynum has been reported as a two-year deal, only one year is guaranteed, and the second year is a team option. According to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld, Bynum's camp is hoping to land a deal with a little more security than that.
Although Bynum may be seeking more security, his market could be opened up a little if he'd agree to a clause that protects teams in the event of recurring knee injuries, says Kyler. Brandon Roy signed such a deal with Minnesota a year ago, making the second year of his deal non-guaranteed when his knee problems flared up again. If Bynum would consider such a deal, several teams would consider signing him, writes Kyler.

Mavs Out Of Mix For Monta Ellis?

July 10th, 2013 at 3:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Although they've frequently been cited as one of the potential landing spots for Monta Ellis, the Mavericks are esssentially out of the running for the free agent guard, according to GM Donnie Nelson (link via Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News). Sefko, seemingly passing along Nelson's thoughts, says the Mavs probably have too many bodies in the backcourt already to make Ellis a realistic possibility.

If the Mavs are truly out of the mix for Ellis, it appears to be "Andrew Bynum or bust" for the club, writes Sefko. Bynum met with the Mavs today, and Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio is hearing that the Cavs believe the big man may want to play in Dallas (Twitter link). But so far, the former Laker and Sixer has given no indication of which way he's leaning. As Amico notes (via Twitter), the Mavs likely aren't equipped with enough cap space to match Cleveland's offer, but perhaps they'd be willing to give Bynum more than a one-year guarantee.

The Kings and Hawks appear to be among the most likely destinations for Ellis if he doesn't end up in Dallas. As we heard earlier today, the 27-year-old will be negotiating this week without his longtime agent, after he parted ways with Jeff Fried.

Atlantic Rumors: Sixers, Bynum, C’s, Knicks, Nets

July 10th, 2013 at 2:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Atlantic teams have been among the clubs finalizing deals agreed to during the moratorium today, including the Sixers officially making a trade with the Pelicans and the Knicks and Raptors formally completing their Andrea Bargnani swap. As teams and players continue to put pen to paper, let's round up a few items of note out of the division…

When the Sixers agreed to send Jrue Holiday to the Pelicans in exchange for Nerlens Noel and a 2014 first-rounder, Noel wasn't the only player Philadelphia would have accepted with that No. 6 overall pick. According to Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com, the Sixers would also have made the deal if New Orleans was able to select Anthony Bennett or Victor Oladipo. Those two players, of course, ultimately went first and second overall.
The Sixers continue to keep their options open and have "absolutely not" ruled out re-signing Andrew Bynum, a source tells Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld (Twitter link). That seems like a long shot to me, but Philadelphia should still have plenty of cap room to make a move.
Michael Curry has yet to formally interview for the Sixers' head coaching job, but expects to talk to GM Sam Hinkie after Summer League play, tweets Lynam.
Although the Celtics could have their mid-level and bi-annual exceptions available, GM Danny Ainge says minimum-salary signings are more likely, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
The Knicks are interested in Tyrus Thomas, who was officially released via the amnesty clause by the Bobcats today, tweets Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. New York won't have a chance to place a claim on Thomas, but could negotiate a new deal with him if he clears amnesty waivers.
Don't expect Andrei Kirilenko to be the Nets' "Plan B" after the team failed to lock up Bojan Bogdanovic. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News says (via Twitter) that there's nothing happening between Kirilenko and Brooklyn.

Andrew Bynum Decision Coming Today?

July 9th, 2013 at 9:28am CST by Luke Adams

9:28am: In spite of rumors that Bynum could make his decision today, the Mavs still expect him to visit tomorrow, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter). Meanwhile, the Cavs are hammering out the specific terms of their offer to Bynum, according to the Plain Dealer (via Twitter).

9:05am: After sitting down with the Cavaliers on Monday, Andrew Bynum will meet with Hawks officials today, and could have a contract agreement in place within the next 24 hours, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Berger hears from a source that there "should be a deal today."

When the Cavs met with Bynum yesterday, they reportedly made him a two-year offer worth $24MM, with a team option on the second year. Despite Cleveland's serious interest, the free agent big man planned to proceed as scheduled to meetings with the Hawks and Mavericks, as ESPN.com's Marc Stein tweeted late last night.

Presumably, Bynum's meeting with Dallas isn't also scheduled for today, so if he makes a decision tonight, that may rule out the Mavericks. Berger's report seems to be somewhat at odds with Stein's, as the ESPN.com scribe also tweeted that he thought the Cavs viewed Dallas as a much more serious threat than Atlanta.

In any case, it seems Bynum will end up committing to either the Cavs, Hawks, or the Mavs at some point this week, perhaps as soon as today. All three clubs figure to be interested in the 25-year-old on a short-term, incentive-laden contract. As Stein tweeted last night, the Cavs' interest in Bynum stems from the fact that he's a potential All-Star center whose lost 2012/13 season makes him very attainable, and I'd imagine the Hawks and Mavs are thinking along the same lines.

Cavs Offered Bynum Two-Year, $24MM Deal

July 8th, 2013 at 9:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cavs are pushing for free agent center Andrew Bynum to accept a two-year, $24MM+, incentive-based contract offer, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Cavs execs met with Bynum in Cleveland on Monday, but could lose patience with waiting on him to make up his mind.

Cleveland's offer includes a team option in the second year of the deal, sources told Wojnarowski. The 25-year-old met with Hawks officials after his Ohio pow-wow and Cleveland has begun to engage free agents Andrei Kirilenko and Elton Brand on possible one-year deals that would preclude the Cavaliers from the ability to sign Bynum, according to league sources.

The incentives of a possible Bynum contract have incentives tied to completing training camp and reaching minutes and games-played plateaus in the regular season. The team option on year two could be giving the center pause as his camp has been looking for one-year, high-money deals that would allow him to hit the market again next summer.

The Cavaliers see the possibility of a Bynum reclamation project coupled with All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving making for a strong recruiting pitch to LeBron James next summer. They'll have competition for his services though. In addition to the Hawks, Bynum is also set to sit down with the Mavericks this week.

Andrew Bynum Meeting With Cavs, Hawks, Mavs

July 8th, 2013 at 1:58pm CST by Zachary Links

1:58pm: Bynum has also lined up face-to-face meetings with the Hawks and Mavericks this week, tweets Stein. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio, the big man would like to have a contract agreement in place within the next few days.

MONDAY, 11:30am: Bynum is scheduled to be in Cleveland today for a face-to-face meeting with the Cavs, according to Stein (via Twitter).

SUNDAY, 10:48pm: The Cavaliers have joined the Mavericks as a team to watch in the race to sign free-agent center Andrew Bynum. Sources close to the process told Marc Stein of ESPN.com that the Cavs are legitimate contenders to sign Bynum, who now finds himself as the top available center on the market despite not playing a minute in 2012/13.

Indications are that Cleveland won't offer more than a one-year deal to Bynum so that they can make a free agent splash in the summer of 2014, a class that includes LeBron James. But the Cavs have ~$15MM in available right now and sources say they have legitimate interest in the former All-Star.

The Mavs have serious interest in Bynum as well but they have begun an "exhaustive" evaluation process regarding his problematic knees and want to know that everything checks out before they think about a multi-year pact. The Hawks also like Bynum, but Monta Ellis is a bigger priority for them right now.

Latest On Monta Ellis, Andrew Bynum

July 7th, 2013 at 8:17am CST by Chuck Myron

Top-tier free agents are going fast, leaving Monta Ellis and Andrew Bynum among the best options remaining on the list of available players. Marc Stein of ESPN.com has the latest on teams in line for them:

Ellis is the top target for the Hawks, according to Stein, who figures the team could make an offer with a starting salary around $10MM based on its available cap space. GM Danny Ferry and company have also given thought to signing Andrew Bynum.
Bynum is the primary focus for the Mavs, Stein reports, adding that Dallas doesn't appear to have enough cap space left to make a competitive bid on Ellis, whom they've also been eyeing.
The Nuggets also covet Ellis, Stein observes, and that's fueling the team's desire to trade Andre Miller.
If Ellis hasn't signed elsewhere by the time the July Moratorium is over on Wednesday, Stein says the Bucks would have to renounce his rights to clear enough room to officially bring aboard free agents O.J. Mayo and Zaza Pachulia, with whom they have agreements.

Free Agent Rumors: Bynum, Teague, Kirilenko

July 6th, 2013 at 3:53pm CST by Chuck Myron

Free agents continue to reach deals with teams across the NBA in advance of Wednesday, when agreements can become official. Here's the latest on the moves that could be next:

The Mavs were in contact with Andrew Bynum even before Dwight Howard turned them down, and Stein tweets that Dallas is indeed pursuing the oft-injured Bynum now that Howard is out of the picture. Still, the Mavs will make a detailed and careful evaluation of the big man's health before reaching an agreement, according to Stein.
Jeff Teague's camp is becoming increasingly frustrated with the Hawks, who have yet to engage in meaningful negotiations on a new deal, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links). The point guard is a restricted free agent, so Atlanta controls his destiny.
The Kings aren't considering Andrei Kirilenko, tweets Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee.
The Knicks remain in play for Elton Brand, as do other teams, but a decision could come this weekend, a source tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link).
The Jazz and Grizzlies also made offers to Dorell Wright, who wound up agreeing to join the Blazers instead, tweets Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. The Thunder also made an offer, as previously reported, Haynes notes.
Decision makers within the Blazers front office have led The Oregonian's Joe Freeman to expect that the team won't re-sign Elliot Williams (Twitter link).
Joe Dumars, fresh off his agreement to sign Josh Smith, has his sights on a perimeter sharpshooter for the Pistons, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (on Twitter). Keith Langlois of Pistons.com agrees, and hints that the team could hit the trade market as well (Twitter link).

Western Notes: Mavericks, Pachulia, Lucas III

July 1st, 2013 at 10:03pm CST by Michael Pina

A few bits of news scattered throughout the Western Conference:

The Spurs are reportedly targeting John Lucas III in free agency, according to a tweet from ShamSports.com's Mark Deeks.
The Oregonian's Joe Freeman is reporting that there's a mutual interest between the Trail Blazers and free agent center Zaza Pachulia. However, the talks are only in preliminary stages.
Eddie Sefko from the Dallas Morning News reports that the Mavericks had discussions with several big-name free agents today, including Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bynum, and Monta Ellis.
Tyreke Evans met with the Kings on Monday, according to USA Today's Sam Amick. It still isn't clear on whether the team would match a lucrative four-year offer sheet by the Pelicans, or whether Evans will even sign that offer sheet.