Is Andrew Bynum about to continue to receiving checks his body or his mouth can't cash?
ESPN.com is reporting that the mercurial center with chronically bad knees is in serious talks with the Indiana Pacers about joining their title chase this season, according to sources who wish to remain anonymous.
No deal had been reached as of Friday night, but the Pacers appear in an ideal position to sign the 26-year-old former All-Star.
ESPN added that Bynum has been talking to five teams, including the two-time defending champion Miami Heat. The Heat do not currently have a roster spot. They do have their entire $5 million midlevel exception if they were to have a roster spot become available.
But the Heat also are over the salary cap and would have to pay a penalty of $2.50 for each dollar they would spend on Bynum.
The Pacers have $2.1 million left on their midlevel exception and are $1.8 million under the salary cap. Team president Larry Bird says the Pacers do no plan to go over the cap. ESPN reported that the Heat are offering only the veteran's minimum, but according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2011, that would come out to roughly $1.2 million.
Bynum averaged 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 24 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers, before the Cavaliers traded the disgruntled center to the Chicago Bulls for Luol Deng and two draft picks. The Bulls released Bynum before they had to pay him the second half of his $12 million contract.
Bynum sat out the entire 2012-13 season as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers with a knee injury after being involved in the four-team trade that allowed the Los Angeles Lakers to ship him to Philly to acquire Dwight Howard.
Bynum had made his first all-star appearance in 2011-12 with the Lakers. He finished the season averaging 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds.
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