When the Lakers took Bynum as the 10th overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft, they were taking on a player whose risk they felt was insignificant compared to his rewarding potential. At the time, Phil Jackson would be coming back from his second retirement stint, Kobe Bryant was at his prime and the mentality was to make the Lakers contenders now, not later.
In all likelihood, Bynum could have well been a bust. They had seen him work out a couple of times before they drafted him that year in June. Once at the McDonald’s All-American Game three months before the draft and the second at a pre-draft work out in Chicago. When they first saw him, his potential was hiding behind 40 pounds of excess body fat. The main reason they were prompted by a scout to give him a second look was because of the work he put in to get his body NBA ready, shedding 25 pounds. Still Bynum looked winded. It was difficult for him to jump in succession and he only had one or two offensive moves in the post–if that. It hardly mattered. After seeing him for the second time, Jim Buss’ mind was made up and Bynum was a go.
So maybe the Lakers didn’t foresee a need to acquire a true point guard. It wasn’t a need in Jackson’s triangle and how could they have ever anticipated the trend in the later part of the decade would be to acquire a play-maker instead of a play-stopper? All Buss and General Manager Mitch Kupchak could fall back on was the one distinction the Lakers always had in their championship lineup arsenal.
The big man.
Next: Bynum could improve by picking up what the Laker greats did before him
Mikan. Wilt. Kareem. Shaq. They’re all part of a laundry list of Hall-of-Famers who cemented their legacies by utilizing their inherent size and strength to dominate over the rest of the league. What’s even more astounding is that they did it on both ends of the court. The league had to change the rules for Mikan and Wilt. When Kareem left the NBA at the age of 42, no player had ever scored more points and blocked more shots. Shaquille O’Neal’s physical stature was a sight to behold, unlike any player the league had seen since perhaps Wilt. The only thing more grandiose than his body was the personality contained within its walls.
The Lakers franchise has indeed had a long and illustrious love affair with the big man.
At age 23 however, Bynum isn’t anywhere near the league of big men the Lakers have acquired over the years, at least not the ones previously mentioned. Some would argue that each passing year and each subsequent knee surgery (Bynum’s had three total), puts him further from reaching the skill level that epitomizes that of the Lakers all-time greats at the center position. The reality is, with their current core players, this team may only need Bynum to merely cause a ripple in the greatest-of-Lakers-centers pool.
During the course of the Lakers last three championship title runs, 2008-2010, Bynum was unable to play, slightly able to contribute and played in limited stretches while enduring physical pain, respectively. The last of his playoff campaigns was his best and in no small part due to the fact that he was the healthiest he’s ever been during the latter part of the year. Unfortunately for Bynum, the rest of the Lakers not named Kobe Bryant weren’t exactly on the same page.
There’s no reason for Bynum to hang his head over the Lakers failed attempt at three-straight titles, but there’s also no reason for him to hold his head up high either. In the eyes of his teammates, coaches and even himself, Bynum still has plenty to learn. If he plans on bridging the gap between himself and the Lakers pantheon of greats, he’ll have to work extra hard over the summer to capitalize and dominate by taking advantage of the one thing that drove the Lakers to take him back in 2005—his size.
Next: The key to Bynum’s success is to dominate on at least one end of the floor
Essentially dominance is what separates Bynum from the guy who always pops up when fans clamor to use the young center as a trading chip, Dwight Howard. Well that and Howard has also successfully proved his body was made to endure the grind of an 82-game season. To be dominant, Bynum needs to only look to the players before him and morph those scraps into his own game.
For Bynum, it’s all going to begin and end on defense. He’s going to have to continue to work at grabbing rebounds, blocking shots, altering shots and preventing guards from weaving their way into the paint. Bynum understands that this is how he can benefit the team the most. Creating havoc in the paint for other teams will also have to come without bailing players out with tick-tack fouls. Understanding how to defend without becoming foul-prone is only half the battle in becoming a “sneaky defensive player,” as he put it.
During his exit interview, Bynum reflected on the Lakers lack of intense practices over the course of the season. He mentioned that they had all the tools to be a dominant defensive team, but couldn’t adjust accordingly during the playoffs leading to a second round exit via a sweep by the eventual 2011 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks. If Bynum plans on revving up the intensity at practice, he’ll need to stay in shape over the summer and come back with strong legs to withstand strenuous work outs.
Bynum also stressed wanting to become a bigger part of the team. While he didn’t specify whether he wanted to become more dominant defensively or more aggressive on offense, the implication was that he would work on refining his repertoire of skills on offense. He talked about building strong moves to break double-teams and continue to improve his ability to work in the post with his back to the basket.
“Big-man skills are not really being taught to young players,” said Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. “Across the generations, they learn guard skills: dribbling, facing the basket. The emphasis is on the jump shot.”
Abdul-Jabbar’s assessment of centers today may be accurate, but when the Lakers acquired Bynum his talent was still raw, enabling them to mold him into the player he is today. Bynum doesn’t know any other organization other than the Lakers, his only coach Jackson. With Mike Brown taking on as head coach, under his tutelage Bynum could flourish into a defensive stopper reminiscent of Chamberlain and O’Neal. If he is also successful in building an efficient post game, coupled with Pau Gasol in the paint, he’ll be that much more of a headache for the opposing defenses.
For Bynum, it’s always been a matter of timing and staying healthy. He’s got the health part down, at least for now. All that’s left is to finally start realizing that potential Buss and Kupchak saw in him six years ago.
It’s now or never.