Former Lakers center Andrew Bynum attempting to make comeback

It’s been a while since Andrew Bynum has made headlines, but that looks set to change, as Shams Charania of the Athletic is reporting that the former Los Angeles Lakers center is attempting to return to the NBA this season.

It’s important to note that this report doesn’t specifically mention the Lakers as a team interested in Bynum, or that he’ll even work out for the Lakers, so we shouldn’t speculate too wildly about what this means just yet.

That caveat aside, it is at least interesting that the Lakers have a newly open roster spot and a gaping hole at center right at the time Bynum is attempting to make a comeback. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka recently said that he and Magic Johnson are leaning toward keeping their final roster spot open for flexibility, but could that change now that Bynum is an option?

Bynum would have a lot to prove in order for a return to the Lakers to be in the cards. While he is only 30 — which is crazy to think about in its own right — he hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2013-14 season, when he was dumped by the Cavaliers after launching halfcourt shots in the middle of practice because he didn’t like then-coach Mike Brown.

He was subsequently traded to the Bulls and released, upon which he signed with the Indiana Pacers and didn’t particularly distinguish himself over the rest of the season, only appearing in two games for Indiana and not playing at all during their playoff run.

Now it’s possible Bynum has matured or grown since then, but is that really the type of potential volatility the Lakers want to chance bringing in to their locker room? When factoring in Bynum’s injury history and how unproven he is as an option in 2018, it would seem more unlikely if, well, the Lakers hadn’t already assembled a veritable Suicide Squad of personalities already.

If Bynum can show he has anything left to give and seems like a decent option that can help the Lakers fill some minutes at center, signing him is absolutely something the front office should look at. And he does appear to be in pretty good shape:

Still, the game has changed A LOT since Bynum was last effective, and there are 27 other teams available for Bynum (it seems safe to rule out the Pacers and Cavaliers, given how Bynum’s stints with those two teams went). So until he starts getting linked to the Lakers directly rather than by former association, it’s probably not worth thinking too hard about what he does or doesn’t have left in the tank.

Even if — to paraphrase a favorite Pelinka reference — Instagram videos make Bynum seem like actual manna from heaven sent to save the Lakers’ center rotation.

All stats per NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com. You can follow Harrison on Twitter at @hmfaigen.