The trade rumors involving Andrew Bynum and Dwight Howard have gained popularity and everyone is pushing the Lakers to make an effort to acquire Howard. Howard is no doubt the more popular and more celebrated between the two centers, but is he really the better big man?
Howard already has the individual accolades and is perhaps the most feared man amongst opponents. Nevertheless, Andrew Bynum has not had the opportunity to showcase his true talents due to various injuries in his career.
Dwight Howard may be called “Superman,” but is he really the best fit for this Lakers team?
Next: Andrew Bynum- Past, Present and Future
Andrew Bynum was drafted at the age of 17, which made him the youngest player to hear his name called by David Stern. The Lakers selected Bynum with the 10th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, and they had high hopes for the youthful seven-footer. Bynum attended St. Joseph High School in New Jersey, and was a dominating force standing at seven feet with a seven foot-four wing-span. In his senior year at St. Joseph, Bynum averaged 22.0 ppg, 16.0 rpg and was named a 2005 McDonalds All-American.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIKdjarkpSs
The Lakers surprised many people by selecting the young man from high school, but the Buss family saw something special in the 17 year old. With Kareem Abdul-Jabbar set to tutor him, the front office was expecting the big man to be their defensive anchor for the future.
However, Bynum’s career in Los Angeles did not start off on the right foot and he did not receive respect from the veteran players. Kobe Bryant was caught on camera lambasting the young kid and the team for not trading Bynum for a more proven player in Jason Kidd.
Nevertheless, despite Kobe’s criticism of Bynum, the front office decided to stick with their prodigy.
Bynum’s rookie season did not go well, and he only played in 46 games for the Lakers. In the 2005-06 season, the young center averaged 1.6 ppg, 1.7 rpg and 7.3 minutes per game. Perhaps the highlight of the turbulent season for Bynum came during a MLK Day showcase versus Shaquille O’Neal and the Miami Heat. After getting posterized by the Big Diesel, Bynum returned the favor on the very next possession. By dunking on the almighty O’Neal, Bynum showed the coaching staff his toughness, and the determination to make a name for himself in the NBA.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPRqhNK6g6g
As he became more accustomed to the NBA game, Andrew Bynum quickly emerged as one of the best young centers in the league. In the 2006-07 season, Bynum played in all 82 games and was a reliable player on the roster.
However, his break-out season came in the 2007-08 campaign. With the Lakers slowly making it back to the top of the NBA, young Andrew Bynum started to see an increase in his productivity. Bynum averaged 13.1 ppg, 10.2 rpg but saw his season come to a stop after suffering a major knee injury. The Lakers acquired Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies that same season, but because of the severity of the injury, Bynum missed out playing with Gasol and the Lakers in the 2008 NBA Finals.
In the next two seasons, Bynum emerged as a top tier NBA center and he was the anchor to the Lakers’ defense. With Bynum and Gasol both in the lineup, the Lakers had two seven footers who thwarted opponents from penetrating into the paint. Bynum added another dimension to the Lakers’ attack and he helped the squad win two NBA championships.
Although Bynum is often criticized for being “injury prone,” he has proven to come up big when the season is on the line. Bynum may not always be healthy during the regular season, but he has been in the lineup during the two latest championship runs. Titles are won in late June, not early December. The big man does not have to be in the lineup for the first 82 games, but he has shown his value to the team by his play in the post-season.
Next: Dwight Howard- Past, Present and Future
Where as Andrew Bynum was far from the stage to begin the NBA Draft, Dwight Howard had a table in the “Green Room” expecting to be the first named called by David Stern.
Howard was selected by the Orlando Magic in the 2004 NBA Draft as the first overall draft pick. In his senior year of high school at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, Howard averaged 25.5 ppg, 18.3 rpg and 8.0 bpg.
Unlike Andrew Bynum, Howard was expected to make an immediate impact for his struggling team. Howard was quickly inserted into the Magic’s starting five and appeared in all 82 games his rookie season.
Howard’s league-wide popularity soured and he was a fan-favorite for his spectacular blocks and breathtaking dunks. In his rookie season Howard was already averaging a double-double and was looked at as the next great center.
In each of his six seasons in the NBA, Howard has averaged a double-double and has been named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team five times. More importantly, Howard was named the NBA’s Defensive Player of Year for three straight seasons (2008-2011), and became the first player to achieve such notoriety.
Dwight Howard reached the NBA’s biggest stage in 2009 when he led his Magic team to the NBA Finals. Although Bynum and the Lakers were crowned champions in Orlando, Howard’s respect and admiration around the league grew.
The NBA has never seen an athlete quite like Howard, and for that very reason people consider him the best center in the league. Howard is sitting atop the throne, and has been enjoying his time in the NBA in all his six seasons.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nOqHP-ohTg
Next: The Deciding Game
Many people believe that Dwight Howard is the best center in the league and Andrew Bynum is right behind him as the second. So it is a no-brainer that the Lakers should trade Bynum for the best big man in the NBA, right?
Andrew Bynum has yet to have a healthy season in his prime, so he has not shown the world what he is fully capable of.
Of course dependability and consistency is what makes a player great, but is it justifiable to write off Bynum if he has yet to show his full potential?
Take a look at this game on March 14th, 2011 when Dwight Howard brought his Magic team to Los Angeles. For the first time, Andrew Bynum was injury free and it was the best opportunity to see him match-up against Howard.
Highlights March 14th, 2011 Bynum vs. Howard
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nwSx2J5GsM
Whenever Howard tried to attack the rim with his raw offensive skills, Bynum patiently waited and blocked the attempt. On the other end of the court, Bynum was having his way with Howard and totally dominated the paint.
In just 28 minutes, Bynum had 10 points, 18 rebounds, 4 blocks and a +/- of +7. As for Dwight Howard, in 43 minutes. he had 22 points, 15 rebounds, 2 blocks and a +/- of -6.
So before you stop supporting Andrew Bynum as the Lakers’ future center, just look at how he has performed in the Playoffs and versus Howard head-to-head.