Those two statements don't make a lot of sense to me. If you believe we're a playoff team without the Bynum trade, then the value of the draft picks we'd be trading is pretty low. And if you believe we still have "gaping holes", how are we supposed to fill those holes with non-lottery picks? To me, if you believe we are a playoff team without Bynum, then now is the perfect time to acquire him, because he's the kind of talent you can't acquire outside the lottery anyway.
Just heard John Ireland, the Laker's play by play guy, on the radio. Seemed really sharp and on top of things, and knows Bynum well. He says the most important thing for Bynum is to get a max deal. Also says that Bynum likes Byron Scott. Anyway, his opinion was that if the Cavs trade for Bynum, Bynum won't sign an extension right away because he oculd only get a shorter deal. But at the end of the season, they'd be the only team able to offer him a max contract, and Ireland felt pretty confidence Bynum would take that. It's not a guarantee, obviously, but it does make sense. And of course, if he didn't want to remain here, we'd still be the only team able to sign him for a max deal, and that would make him a good trade asset.
Certainly, it's rolling the dice. But, it's also true that whatever team trades for him is going to be the team most likely to end up with him long-term, and a Kyrie/Bynum combo can be the core of a championship team. Obviously, Grant and his folks would have to meet with Bynum first to get the sense as to the likelihood of him resigning. But I wouldn't be averse to rolling the dice on this, because Bynum is a talent that doesn't come along very often, and at a level non-lottery teams just can't get in the draft.
