Andrew Bynum’s return postponed for additional five weeks as troubles continue to grow for Philadelphia 76ers – NBA News
The Philadelphia 76ers continue to face problems in the emphatic arrival of Andrew Bynum into and his debut with the team. Bynum is yet to play a regular season game with his new team and the Sixers announced on Monday that the All Star centre would require an additional five more weeks to recover from his knee injury because of continuing complications.
Bynum was acquired by the Sixers over the summer in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers that sent All Star guard Andre Iguodala to the Denver Nuggets. Bynum was anticipated as the future of the Sixers franchise, someone who they can build around to become a playoff contender. However, he is yet to appear in a regular season game for the Sixers after he was sidelined with knee problems before the start of the season.
"We know the Sixers fans are eager to see Andrew Bynum play and shine. We also know no one is more eager to see Andrew play for the Sixers than Andrew himself. He fully realizes the key contribution he can make to the team. Hopefully, that day is coming soon,” said Sixers General Manager Tony Dileo in a statement.
Bynum announced in May, while still a member of the Lakers, that he would be travelling to Germany in September to undergo the unorthodox orthokine treatment on his knees. He got the treatment as planned, but the team held him off from starting after they said that the treatment needed time to work. Now, after a new MRI, the team is saying that Bynum will be back by December 10th, and will need a few weeks of conditioning workouts which means he can start sometime January.
“As far as getting better, I think this is the way I need to handle it. It's tough. I want to get out there, I want to play. It's just a roller coaster. Obviously, missing games is not good. I want to be out there, I want to be there with my teammates,” said Bynum.
The Sixers have started the season with a 4-2 record in the absence of Bynum, as other players have stepped up to the challenge and are contributing more to the success of the team. However, Bynum’s return is critical to the future of the team, particularly their chances of making the playoffs this season, and also to his own future considering he is in the final year of his contract.
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