Bringing Bynum Off the Bench

Andrew Bynum has reportedly been working out with Chris Mihm and could run through full practice as early as this week. This is great news. Also great news is the recent play of Lamar Odom. As discussed last week in this blog, Odom has finally started to play with a fire and confidence that has been sorely lacking from his all-around game. He’s shooting 86 percent in his last two games. He’s found a great rhythm playing with both Kobe and especially Gasol and has become deadly efficient.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see how Phil Jackson manages the inevitable working back into the rotation of Bynum. This could have serious ramifications on Odom’s sudden surge. It’s obvious that Bynum will be a huge part in shoring up the Lakers weak interior defense, but I wonder at what cost? The Lakers need Odom to be on his game. They need everyone to be firing on all cylinders in order to emerge from the crowded west.

Installing Bynum back into the starting lineup could create engine problems. For example, moving Odom to the 3 takes away the deep threat of Vlad Rad and forces the Lakers to have three 7-footers clogging the lanes. Sure, Pau can play fifteen feet out, but keeping him out there, takes away his inside game. Odom’s strength is beating bigs off the dribble and penetrating to create shots for himself or others. Odom’s 3 point shooting is weak to begin with, but his spot-up shooting is pretty atrocious. Moving him to the 3 puts pressure on him to make outside shots. Teams will be able to play off him and pack the middle. Plus, you move Odom away from the basket and you take away his excellent rebounding skills replacing them with Gasol’s rather ho-hum boarding abilities.  

Here’s my, perhaps not-so-novel idea. Have Bynum come off the bench with the second unit. Sure, there will be stretches during the game where the Lakers will want to use both Pau and Bynum, especially if a matchup of Amare/Shaq or Duncan/Thomas presents itself. But Bynum was great in that role at the beginning of the season, when stone-hands Kwame Brown was the starter. This would effectively give the Lakers two starter-quality teams. The first unit: Fisher, Bryant, Radmanovic, Odom and Gasol. The second unit: Farmar, Vujacic, Walton (Ariza/Newble), Turiaf and Bynum.

This second unit, can run by itself with Walton and Vujacic being able to help Farmar with the distribution and ball-handling. Plus, this unit will be faster than the starters and can provide energy and the ability to fastbreak. Also, if they sub Newble or Ariza in for Walton, could be a very feisty defensive squad. The reason the second unit has faltered of late, is the lack of a player with the ability to create shots by himself. Bynum effectively evaporates this problem. He opens up the perimeter game by drawing double teams. Farmar has the ability to attack the seams created and Walton does a good job of making the right decisions when he isn’t pressured. Vujacic acts as the instant offense and Turiaf will be free to roam the paint (something he is far, far better at as opposed to manning up the opposition’s center). Plus, Ronny is an underrated jump shooter with fifteen-foot range, which will help space the floor for Bynum. 

Of course, Kobe or Odom or Gasol could be and will be integrated into this squad for veteran leadership. But you’ve got to hand it to Mitch. There is no other team that is this deep or this versatile.

If the Lakers want to go big, they can move Odom to the 3 and have Bynum and Gasol in there. If they want to go quick, they can have Bynum or Gasol at center, Odom at the 4, Kobe at the 3, Vujacic at the 2 and Farmar at the point. If Golden State somehow jumps into the playoffs, the Lakers can move Odom to the 5, Vlad Rad to the 4, Kobe to the 3, etc. They can match up with anyone, play any style of basketball, and have the deadliest clutch player in the game to close out the fourth quarter.

And Odom is the key cog to the Lakers versatility. If Phil plugs Bynum back into the starting lineup and moves Odom to the 3 (as a starter, this could potentially affect Odom’s confidence (an unstable thing to begin with) and could set off a chain reaction that could derail the Lakers title hopes. 

Bringing Bynum off the bench solves all the Lakers problems, and creates a whole host of problems for everyone they face.