by Scott Agness | @ScottAgness
February 13, 2014
The Pacers coaching staff will be in New Orleans to coach the Eastern Conference All-Star team and most of the players will either be at home or a resort location, but recent hire Andrew Bynum will remain in Indianapolis to be treated by the team's top-notch training staff.
“They’re just working on some maintenance types of things with his knees,” said Pacers coach Frank Vogel. “He’s going to be getting treatment and strength and conditioning in his legs, some things basically they feel like they can, not fix, but sort of alleviate some of his issues while there’s no inflammation, while there’s not a lot of duress on his knees.
“That will continue into the week after and at the right time we'll get him back on the court."
Bynum will be at Bankers Life Fieldhouse everyday to receive treatment and work on his strength and conditioning. He hasn't played in a game since Dec. 26, his last time putting on a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey before being suspended, traded to the Chicago Bulls and then waived. The Pacers signed him on Feb. 1 but he didn't join the team until a week later.
Conditioning is one thing for the 7-footer. He played an average of 20 minutes per game with the Cavaliers this season, a solid contribution if he can get back to that with the Pacers. But Bynum admitted this week that over the last six weeks, he's just relaxed at home, dealt with an issue with his mom, and kept no workout regimen.
His problems with both knees are pretty well documented. They kept off the court all of last season in Philadelphia.
So when he arrived in Indy, the Pacers’ trainers — Josh Corbeil and Carl Eaton, who are also both certified physical therapists — and the 2012 Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, Shawn Windle, had a detailed plan.
"I think the medical staff is going about the treatment in a different way than other people have so far," Bynum said. "I don't know if it's working or not, I've only been here a few days. I'll be here over break working out, learning the plays, and just getting caught up."
When informed of Bynum's comments on various treatment tactics, one team official smiled and said he typically hears that with newcomers.
The Pacers' medical staff is big into prevention treatment. Nearly every player, injured or not, has a treatment schedule and gets worked on weekly — many daily. Players were reluctant at first, but now they're eager for their next appointment.
An emphasis with the Pacers is placed on mechanics and getting joints to all work together. It caught Bynum's attention and has, so far, went over well.
"Manual work and working with your hands," Bynum said of the difference. "Mobilizing me, mobilizing the ankle and things like that."
The timeline for Bynum to join his new teammates on the floor is "very open-ended," according to Vogel.
"The plan with Andrew Bynum is to use the end of the season to get him acclimated and up to speed and to have him be a force for us in the playoffs. That's the goal. Everything is with that in mind."
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