Andrew Bynum officially joins Pacers, return timeline not set
A week after signing with the Indiana Pacers, Andrew Bynum participated in his first shootaround with his new team on Friday.
In his first meeting with the media since joining the team on a low-risk, high-reward one-year contract, Bynum spoke glowingly of the Pacers.
“Obviously when you have the staff they have here and the legend, Larry Bird, things run correctly," Bynum said. "It’s a lot easier to fit in here and be positive when the entire atmosphere is already that way. Obviously there are some great locker-room leaders here, and that goes a long way.”
That isn't exactly the kind of thing you hear said about the Cleveland Cavaliers. In fact Bynum went on to paint a picture of his time with the Cavs this season, describing a situation that did not fit his specific strengths and weaknesses.
"The atmosphere over there [in Cleveland], it wasn’t one that just kind of promoted positive energy and wanting to come in and really… it was just tough, at the end of the day."
Pacers coach Frank Vogel would not give a specific time frame for when Bynum will officially suit up for the team, but hinted that his progress in practice will dictate the timing.
“We’ll come back from All-Star break and see how practices go over the next week or two after that before we start deciding if he’s ready," Vogel said. "We want him to be comfortable.”
Bynum's progress towards joining the Pacers lineup begins immediately. The former All-Star and two-time NBA champion will spend the All-Star break working his way back into basketball shape while the coaching staff and the team's two All-Star's head to New Orleans.
Despite missing all of the 2012-13 season with a knee injury, if healthy Bynum unquestionably figures to be a high-end back-up big man playing behind Roy Hibbert. Durability issues aside, if Bynum can provide the Pacers with even a fraction of the 16.2 points and 10.8 rebounds he's averaged per 36-minutes in his career, they'll be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time.