Andrew Bynum Not Ruled Out for Season Opener

Cleveland Cavaliers big man Andrew Bynum took part in some of the team’s five-on-five scrimmaging, and according to head coach Mike Brown, there’s a chance that the center plays in the first game of the season (though Bynum hasn’t been cleared to take part in a full practice yet.) Per the Plain Dealer: “There’s parts of the practice they don’t want him to do,’ Brown said, referring to the team’s medical staff. ‘He hasn’t participated in every aspect of practice all the time.’ Still, the coach stopped short of saying that the fact that Bynum had not taken part in a full practice as of Sunday afternoon would rule him out of playing in Wednesday’s season opener against the visiting Brooklyn Nets. ‘I’m not even speculating that,’ Brown said Sunday. ‘What I’m waiting for is the doctors to say he can play. If the doctors say he can play, that’s when I’ll make a decision as to whether or not to play him. But the doctors have not cleared him to play yet.’ There has been much speculation about Bynum’s availability since Brown said 10 days ago that the center was ”close” to returning to practice. Clearly, Bynum has been working hard and increasing his workload, as was evident in a strenuous pre-game workout he did on the court at The Q before the Cavs played the Detroit Pistons on Oct. 17. But the Cavs have emphasized that they would be cautious with the return of the big man who missed all of last season and had surgery on both knees in March before signing a two-year contract last summer. Throughout training camp, the team has said there was no timetable for Bynum’s return, a sentiment Bynum echoed on media day Sept. 29 in his only comments to reporters thus far.”