by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni
Hey, remember when some people thought it would be a good idea for the Lakers to trade Andrew Bynum for Carmelo Anthony? Sure, they were all lunatics, but they count as people, too.
Anyhow, Bynum remained in Los Angeles, and his dominance on the boards and defensive end — 12.6 points, 14.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks on 64.2 % shooting during the month of March — is one of the main reasons the Lakers have been nearly unbeatable since the All-Star Break.
GM Mitch Kupchak knows this, and says the young center is nearly untradeable.
From the team website:
Kupchak: “I’d say I get 10 to 15 phone calls a year about Andrew. I’ve called teams that have young, developing players myself. I don’t think that’s going to change. Certainly if he had played as well as he’s playing now for the last three years, teams would realize that, well, the Lakers would never trade him. But he’s had stretches where he’s played well and stretches where he hasn’t, and he’s been criticized, and I think general managers look at (those weaker stretches) and think maybe this is an opportunity for me to come in through the back door, let me make a phone call. And I understand that, and don’t think that’s going to change. But having said all that: when Andrew is healthy, and he plays like he is playing right now, you are hard pressed to look at anybody in this league and say, ‘I would trade him for that person.”
“Anybody. If he’s healthy at this level he’s at, you’d have to think about anything. In other words, you may not trade him for anybody. If he helps your team and he’s what you need, and we can advance in the playoffs, then why would you take a chance and do anything?”
That’s all fine and well.
Personally, I can’t wait until next year when Andrew struggles a bit and gets hurt again, the Lakers get bored during the regular season, and the Bynum trade rumors start all over again. It’s one of my favorite annual NBA traditions.
