Andrew Bynum Rumors: Sunday

Today is the day the Cavs would like to reach agreement on an Andrew Bynum deal with the Lakers, though as we saw with the Rockets and Omer Asik, a self-imposed deadline doesn’t always spur action. Coming to terms today would allow the players involved 48 hours to complete their physicals in advance of Tuesday, the final day that whatever team left holding Bynum’s contract can waive him and save $6.25MM of his $12.25MM salary. Bynum could become more difficult to trade after that point, which helps explain Cleveland’s eagerness to deal quickly. Here’s the latest:

  • The Cavs and Lakers failed to reach a deal by end of the weekend but talks are expected to continue as the Cavs weigh other deals, according to Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com.  The Cavs are considering two deals other than the Lakers possibility, one of which is sending Bynum to Utah for Richard Jefferson.
  • Some execs say the Lakers are out, the Bulls and Jazz are in, and the Grizzlies could even be in the mix on Bynum, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports.
  • The Lakers were also looking to swap first round picks and inquired on Anderson Varejao but they were rebuffed, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
  • The Cavs also remain reluctant on sending a future first-round draft pick to the Lakers, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports.  L.A. could save $20MM+ on a Gasol-Bynum deal, but the Lakers’ insistence on more than salary-cap relief from the Cavaliers – such as Waiters or a draft pick – has been a significant hurdle in discussions.  Meanwhile, the Cavs are willing to part with a second-round pick in a Bynum-for-Jefferson deal, which Cleveland officials believe is likely enough return to make the transaction worth the Jazz’s trouble.  However, the two sides haven’t picked up talks over the weekend.
  • As the Lakers push for assets in Gasol-Bynum discussions, the Cavs have refused to include Dion Waiters in talks, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).
  • The only asset other than Bynum that the Cavs have offered to the Lakers is a second-round pick, and that’s not enough for L.A., as USA Today’s Sam Amick writes. The Cavs would have to include at least one other player to make a Bynum/Pau Gasol trade meet salary-matching requirements, but the teams haven’t discussed any Cavs other than Bynum. For now, the teams are in a standoff, with the Cavs aware that the deal would help the Lakers avoid the luxury tax while the Lakers feel the Cavs would prefer to receive immediate help in return for Bynum.
  • The Lakers maintain their insistence that they will only trade Gasol for a valuable asset, notes Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter).
  • The Cavs indicate that trade talks are progressing, but while the Lakers “begrudgingly” admit the discussion has been revived, they deny that a deal is close, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link).
  • Gasol’s camp is skeptical that a deal goes down today, Amick tweets.
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