Andrew Bynum leaves Pacers as knee injury remains unresolved
The injury-plagued center has left the Indiana Pacers as his knee problems continue to linger.
The Indiana Pacers announced Wednesday that center Andrew Bynum has been shut down for the year because of continuing knee issues. Not only that -- Bynum has left the team entirely as his team faces a 1-0 deficit in its second round playoff bout with the Washington Wizards.
“We want to thank Andrew and our medical staff for trying to get the issues with his knee resolved,” Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird said in a statement. “We wish him the best in the future.”
Bynum has been inactive since March 15 because of knee soreness.
Pacer Problems
The center leaves after appearing in just two mid-March regular season games for the Pacers. That was the beginning of a tumultuous season for the big man, who didn't play for the Philadelphia 76ers last season because of knee issues. He signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers last summer on a $12 million, partially-guaranteed contract that protected the team if he struggled with injury.
Instead, the Cavaliers got decent production from Bynum -- he averaged 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 24 games with Cleveland -- before he became a distraction, which resulted in the team suspending him in late December.
Eventually, Cleveland traded Bynum to the Chicago Bulls for forward Luol Deng, and the Bulls immediately released him. After making $6 million of guaranteed money from the contract originally signed with the Cavs, Bynum signed with the Pacers at the beginning of February on a deal that paid him another $1 million.
