It would be “foolish” for any team interested in acquiring Andrew Bynum to not speak with the Los Angeles Lakers’ center before consummating a deal to confirm that he would sign a long-term contract with that club. That’s what his agent, David Lee, said.
Speaking to espnLosAngeles.com, Lee said: “I can’t imagine any team foolish enough to do the deal without asking permission (from the Lakers) to speak to Andrew,” Lee said. “That’s beyond belief (that a team would not), but strange things happen.”
The Lakers so far have not granted any team permission to speak directly with Bynum or his representatives. Andrew Bynum has been the subject of trade talks in L.A.’s quest to land Dwight Howard, by the way, said through his agent that he will not sign a long-term deal until after next season.
“Unless somebody tells me somebody would like to talk to (Bynum), I go fishing in Alaska,” Lee said.
He and Bynum actually just returned on Wednesday from fishing in Alaska, he said.
Andrew Bynum has been the subject of trade rumors for most of his career and is somewhat used to them by now. But Lee said any notion this latest round of speculation would sour him on the Lakers is incorrect.
“He’s never had a problem with the organization despite all the things he has gone through,” Lee said. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard him offer a negative comment about the (Lakers) organization.”
Lee would not say whether Bynum was growing anxious to start extension talks with the Lakers.
Sources have told ESPN The Magazine’s Chris Broussard that Bynum will not sign an extension anywhere outside of possibly the Lakers this summer because it benefits him financially to wait until after the season so he can get a longer, more lucrative deal.
Lee denied that Bynum had a list of teams he would ultimately sign an extension with, saying he and Bynum chuckled when they read reports while on vacation indicating he had preferred destinations.
