Andrew Bynum will be a top 3 big man in 5 years

[Clove21]

Bumping, as this looks more true now than it did when it was posted last year before Bynum started playing well this season.

[AtTheDriveIn]

Bumping, as this looks more true now than it did when it was posted last year before Bynum started playing well this season.

Bosh
Howard
Boozer
Jefferson
Stoudemire
West

are still all better than him. The first two by quite a large margin, also you could consider the following to be about on par, or better than Bynum still:

Aldridge
Bogut
Chandler

He's in the 7-10 region of young big men who are in the league and still developing. Add in the Duncan's, Garnett's, Brand's and he's looking at maybe a top 15 place right now.

[Clove21]

Bosh
Howard
Boozer
Jefferson
Stoudemire
West

are still all better than him. The first two by quite a large margin, also you could consider the following to be about on par, or better than Bynum still:

Aldridge
Bogut
Chandler

He's in the 7-10 region of young big men who are in the league and still developing. Add in the Duncan's, Garnett's, Brand's and he's looking at maybe a top 15 place right now.

Agreed. But I said 5 years. And that was 6 months ago. The Brands, Duncans and Garnetts will be very limited in 5 years if not gone, and Bynum will have grown from a man-child into a man.

I was more pointing out how fundamentally sound Bynum is and how over time that can double and triple your worth. Many athletic players make small progress over time as they get experience, players that start from the ground up learning good fundamentals can make larger leaps each year.

[AtTheDriveIn]

Agreed. But I said 5 years. And that was 6 months ago. The Brands, Duncans and Garnetts will be very limited in 5 years if not gone, and Bynum will have grown from a man-child into a man.

I was more pointing out how fundamentally sound Bynum is and how over time that can double and triple your worth. Many athletic players make small progress over time as they get experience, players that start from the ground up learning good fundamentals can make larger leaps each year.

Fair enough, but with the decline of Garnett (who wont drop out of the Top 10 big men until he retires, he's too good at keeping himself in game shape) and with the decline of Duncan, there are going to be guys who take their spot and possibly push Bynum back. The one I can name that isn't in the league is Oden. Just my personal opinion, but from watching the both of them (the level of competition doesn't really matter), I think Oden will be as good as, or better than Bynum in his first 2/3 seasons.

Also, Howard will continue to improve as he is only 21/22 years of age. Same thing with Bosh and same thing with everyone else. By that time, Boozer, West, Stoudemire will be at their absolute peaks in their prime and will probably outshine Bynum quite simply.

Also add in the fact that Bogut has finally started looking like he could average 18/9 or around that for a season and Jefferson could be a 25/13 player by then and it starts to look like a steep road for Bynum to climb.

Top 6-10 - Debatable.
Top 3 - Nearly impossible.

[RoseCity07]

Dwight Howard, Al Jefferson, and Yao are better than Bynum will ever be.

Then your talking about Bynum being better than Oden, Stoudamire, West, and Boozer in the next 5 years.

We will have to wait and see about this one. Bynum is showing some serious game but don't think he will ever crack top 3. Top 5 is a nice goal.

[hotsizzle]

Dwight Howard, Al Jefferson, and Yao are better than Bynum will ever be.

Then your talking about Bynum being better than Oden, Stoudamire, West, and Boozer in the next 5 years.

We will have to wait and see about this one. Bynum is showing some serious game but don't think he will ever crack top 3. Top 5 is a nice goal.

Better than Bynum WILL EVER be? What was AlJeff averaging at 20 years of age? Oh yea, he was a rookie averaging 7/4 and a sophomore averaging 8/5 at nearly 21 playing on bad celtic teams. Bynum just turned 20 and is averaging 13/10 and 2+ blks on 60% fg on a team that was #1 in the West before he went down. Yea, better than Bynum WILL EVER be...you're right, there is no possible way Bynum could end up better than AlJeff.

Yao at 20 yrs old wasnt even in the league. And just to throw it out there..Yao has averaged more than 10 boards twice in his career...Bynum is doing this a 20 yrs of age playing ~28 mins. But its a stone cold fact that Bynum will NEVER be as good as Yao

Howard is just nasty but don't underestimate Bynum's offensive game and touch around the basket.

[lakerfreak]

Dwight Howard, Al Jefferson, and Yao are better than Bynum will ever be.

Then your talking about Bynum being better than Oden, Stoudamire, West, and Boozer in the next 5 years.

We will have to wait and see about this one. Bynum is showing some serious game but don't think he will ever crack top 3. Top 5 is a nice goal.

I don't see how you're bringing Oden into this conversation. The kid hasn't played yet and this might be the first sign of a long injury prone career for him.

Bynum is in his third year averaging a double double and hes not better than oden? Not better than West? this is a travesty.

[GOBB]

Greg Oden anyone?

[stewen12]

2011 Season: Top Big men

1. Dwight Howard
2. Yao
3. Oden
4. Al Jefferson
5. Amare

6. Bynum

[2LeTTeRS KD]

2011 Season: Top Big men

1. Dwight Howard
2. Yao
3. Oden
4. Al Jefferson
5. Amare

6. Bynum

Al Jefferson won't be better than Bynum. He can't affect a game on D like Bynum can. He makes Amare look like a great defender.

[bleedinpurpleTwo]

Yes, if they are unable to get a Garnett type player to run with Kobe in his prime, than they should trade him for younger talent and picks.

The main reason I made this is because I know a lot of people have not seen Andrew Bynum play much, or at all. There was a reason the Lakers didnt want to trade him earlier.

For those that havent seen him play, pay close attention to him next year, wherever hes at.

well, looks like they got their "Garnett type player".

[stewen12]

Al Jefferson is a great scorer, rebounder and averages a steals and a block and a half a game

[brantonli]

2011 Season: Top Big men

1. Dwight Howard
2. Yao
3. Oden
4. Al Jefferson
5. Amare

6. Bynum

I don't see why Bunum can't be a top 5 big man in the next 5 years, but I don't think age can really be a factor because:

In 2012 (since this thread was made in 2007)
Yao: 32
Howard: 27
Oden: 24
Jefferson: 27
Stoudemire: 30


Unless one of these players have a sudden Shaq-like decline (quite possible with Howard, but only in his mid-thirties, so it's irrelevent here), it will be pretty tough to crack a top 3 spot, top 5 I think Bynum can do it.

[Tainted Sword]

Greg Oden hasn't even played an NBA game yet and he's somehow going to be better than a Center who's been averaging 17/10 since he started getting decent playtime. That's really funny.

Atleast wait till the guy actually does something before you rate him above something like that.

[evinecz]

Dont make me laugh.