Sixers & Andrew Bynum considering arthroscopic surgery on Bynum’s right knee

Who do you think feels more let down by one of last summer’s biggest offseason trades, the Lakers or the Philadelphia 76’ers? I’m going to go with the Sixers. While the Lakers season hasn’t been anywhere near the expectation, they are still at least in the hunt for a playoff spot and might have finally discovered a formula that works. The Sixers on the other hand, they haven’t even had the opportunity to see what Bynum looks like on the court. And the way things are going, it looks as if that happening this season – or ever – is a distant fantasy.

The Philadelphia Inquirer is now saying it’s possible that Andrew Bynum might need to have another knee procedure.

The 76ers and Bynum are considering arthroscopic surgery on the player’s right knee in order to clean out loose cartilage, a procedure that would likely end the season for the center for whom they traded so many young assets, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

Bynum weighed in on his situation following Friday’s practice:

“Now it’s getting a little late, so I really don’t know,” Bynum said when asked if he were considering sitting out the final two months of the 76ers season. “I played in one scrimmage and [I have] a four- to five-day setback,” Bynum said of his latest setback. Bynum added that he is “just getting treatment and trying to push the fluid out” of his knee.

I still think I can play,” Bynum said, “but like I said, the season is short.”

The whispers are that Bynum’s knee is devoid of cartilidge and it’s a bone on bone situation which would make it unlikely that Bynum would make a complete return to the court. Bynum has stated that he’s unwilling to play in pain – I can’t be mad at that – but at least one NBA analyst believes that Bynum’s lack of passion for the game of basketball plays a role in his return to the court as well. Magic Johnson spoke about Bynum’s time with the Lakers and what he observed during Friday night’s ESPN’s Kia Countdown show:

“I loved playing basketball so I would play in pain. I did that for many years,” Johnson said tonight on ESPN’s KIA NBA Countdown. “Andrew Bynum was here in Los Angeles with the Lakers. He wasn’t a guy who could tolerate pain. When he was injured, he wasn’t a guy who worked hard to get back. This doesn’t surprise me.

“Now we see why Kobe Bryant had trouble with the big man because when you think about Andrew, he’s a guy who never liked criticism. He’s not a gym rat. I think he plays because hey, I’m getting paid and I’m in the spotlight, but I don’t think he loves to play.”

Magic had a lot to say on Friday night as he also offered LeBron James $1 million to participate in the dunk contest.