Bynum is putting up stats directly comparable to those of Dwight Howard.

Throughout December, during the NBA’s shortened pre-season, the talk in Laker land was about another seven-foot center on a team over 2,000 miles away: Dwight Howard.  

The first question on the lips of fans, sportswriters, and talk-show hosts was whether the Lakers would make a move for Howard or Chris Paul. In the two-hour span during which it appeared Chris Paul was going to wear purple and gold this season, everyone was asking whether CP3 was just the first domino to fall in the Lakers inevitable quest to compile a superstar trio of Bryant, Paul and Howard that would shift the NBA’s spotlight and seat of power back to Los Angeles and away from South Beach.  

And now, the question is whether or not the Lakers should cash in on Bynum’s progress this season and trade for the so-called “Superman.”  

How was Bynum treated amongst all this feverish gossiping? As a pawn - a mere chess piece whose contributions should only be used as leverage to acquire a bigger star that would supposedly put Lakers basketball back at the summit of the league.  

But Bynum, as always, is letting his numbers do the talking.

Since his first game against Denver on Dec. 31, the 24-year-old Bynum has averaged 17.1 points, 13.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. Compared with 26-year-old Dwight Howard, the difference in productivity is minimal. Howard is averaging 18.0 points, 14.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.  

Another key stat?  Bynum is shooting 53 percent from the foul line this season, and is 68 percent in his career. Compare that to Howard’s 43 percent this season, and 60 percent in his career.

You wouldn’t want either of them shooting a clutch free throw down the stretch, but numbers don’t lie. 

When comparing the two players, many pundits and doubters like to point to Bynum’s two major knee injuries to question the big man’s durability and longevity in the NBA.  

But as the LA Times reported in 2009, the two injuries are not connected, nor do they indicate any sort of lasting concern. Yes, Bynum has missed time, but the effort he has displayed to come back from each injury bigger, faster and stronger should not be ignored.

Bynum has refined and improved his game after each spell on the sidelines. His fitness level and role within the team’s offense and defense have increased in each of his six seasons. Under new head coach Mike Brown, Bynum’s defensive capabilities and stamina have come to the fore.

During the Lakers’ game Wednesday night at Utah, Bynum was having a sub-par offensive game with only 12 points on 5-13 shooting. However, his effort never wavered. His crucial tip-in with 51 seconds left in OT off of a Kobe miss put the Lakers up by three, and his last second block of Al Jefferson’s shot secured the victory for his team.  After the game, Brown paid Bynum’s defensive instincts a great compliment saying, "He kind of made up his own coverage on Al [Jefferson]...whatever he did worked."

Right now, the Lakers' frontcourt is clicking. For his part, Gasol is averaging 16.4 points per game along with 9.7 rebounds. Both men are re-invigorated players who appear to have put last season’s playoff disappointment against the Mavericks in the rear view mirror. Their chemistry at both ends off the court is helping the Lakers win games, and most importantly, their attitude coming off of a tumultuous offseason has been impeccable.  

That is a testament to both the players, and the coaching of Brown.  

Undoubtedly, the Lakers are far from a perfect team, but the big men are not the problem.

Team speed, transition defense and backcourt scoring are the primary areas that need addressing. A new center won’t solve any of those issues, and a trade for Dwight Howard would at best be a lateral move in terms of productivity, and at worst a chemistry buster for a team just starting to find its new identity under a defensive-minded head coach.  

The Lakers owe it to themselves and to Andrew Bynum to stay loyal.

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