Poll: Should The Sixers Trade Andrew Bynum?

Could the Sixers be looking to trade prized summer acquisition Andrew Bynum?  Depends on who you ask.  One NBA General Manager told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports that the Sixers have been making trade inquiries about adding a starting caliber center. “They got to be a little panicked now,” the GM said. “They could get a really interesting deal for him. I could see them doing that.”  Meanwhile, 76ers GM Tony DiLeo told Tom Moore of Calkins Newspapers that he hasn’t been shopping Bynum as he wants to see what the team looks like at full strength.  DiLeo reasons that the post-presence of Bynum will free up the perimeter shooters, boosting the club’s offense as a whole.

Bynum is currently earning $16.1MM, the final year of the four-year, $58MM contract he signed back in 2008 with the Lakers.  The center figured to be in line for a five-year, $100MM deal this summer, but he obviously won’t fetch that kind of pact until he can prove that he is healthy and back to his old form.  The Sixers could wait things out with Bynum to see if he can get back on the floor sometime before February 21st, or they could move him for an impact piece that can help in the short-term and possibly beyond 2012/13.  Trading Bynum might be a tough sell considering that the Sixers parted ways with fan favorite Andre Iguodala, promising young center Nikola Vucevic, and the draft rights to Maurice Harkless to land him.  However, it might be the best move for the Sixers for the long-haul.