Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavs Set Their Sights On Free Agent Andrew Bynum

Losers in the Dwight Howard free-agent sweepstakes to the cross-state Houston Rockets, the Dallas Mavs have already put their plan B in motion.

According to ESPN, the team now plans to “seriously” pursue oft-injured, free-agent center Andrew Bynum.  The plan calls for owner Mark Cuban and front office officials to “proceed with caution” after the 7-foot, 285 pound seven-year veteran missed all of last season for the Philadelphia 76ers nursing a knee injury.

Dallas has long considered its medical staff, headed by Team USA athletic trainer Casey Smith Dr. T.O. Souryal to be among the best in the league, ESPN reports, and the tests they plan administering on Bynum’s knees will be “exhaustive.”

When healthy, Bynum, 25, has consistently proven to be among the league’s best big men.  He averaged 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks during his All-Star campaign for the Lakers in 2011-12.

After signing free agent guard Jose Calderon to a four-year, $29 million deal, Dallas has approximately $10.5 million left in cap space. Without the benefit of any other salary-saving moves, the Mavs could offer Bynum up to a four-year deal in the neighborhood of $45 million.

ESPN also reports that if negotiations further progress, the Mavs will almost certainly assert that language be written into the contract that would protect the team if Bynum’s bad knees were to keep him off the court.

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