Andrew Bynum on someone else's watch

COLUMBUS, Ohio - While the Sixers will endure another year with the possibility of a big man sitting out because of a knee injury, the Cleveland Cavaliers are hoping that the Sixers' problem from a season ago will be playing for them soon.

A season ago, Philadelphia was awaiting word that the big summertime, free-agent acquisition, Andrew Bynum, would be ready to play basketball. That, of course, never happened, as bone bruises in both knees kept Bynum from ever getting on the floor.

Now, after offseason surgeries on both knees, he appears to be heading toward making an appearance with the Cavaliers. (Commence rolling of eyes.)

As he warmed up before last night's Sixers-Cavs game, he did appear much more fit than at any time last year, and it's not because of his now closely cropped hair.

"He's progressing fine," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. "He's been working hard, and I think he's been treated right. I think the experience has been good for him so far. It's been good to have him around. It's good for our players to see a guy who has two NBA championship rings work as hard as he's worked and he's worked his tail off since he's come here."

While talks have been of Bynum hitting the floor with his team soon, Brown was leery of going that far.

"There's no timetable, we'll just continue to let him progress and when the doctors and the trainers feel he's ready, and he feels he's ready, and I feel he's ready, then he'll play," he said. "There's no rush.

"When he agreed to come here back in July, he had a lease in Atlanta on a house that he was going to move into and broke the lease and moved to Cleveland, and, literally, he's been getting to the facility at 9:30, 10 in the morning and leaving about 2:30. That's every day. I think he's missed 1 day. I can't ask for more than what he's been giving. When our guys walk in there and see him doing what he's doing with our doctors and training staff, it takes them back a little bit, because they don't realize how hard it is to work and be considered one of the best in this business."

Blog: ph.ly/Sixerville