Lakers center Andrew Bynum was named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for his contributions to the Lakers' 3-1 record. Bynum did it by averaging 27.5 points on 65.5 percent shooting and leading the West in rebounding (14.8).
It was his second career honor -- the other came in 2009. But Bynum's play this season has been far more dominant over a longer period of time.
It has been enough for Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak to tell the Los Angeles Times that the Lakers intend to exercise their contract option on Bynum for next season at $16 million.
"He's the starting center on the West All-Star team. Why wouldn't we do everything we could to keep him here?" Kupchak said. "We're ecstatic to have him on the team."
Bynum, 24, has further established himself as a secondary offensive option to Kobe Bryant, even with Pau Gasol still on the team at power forward.
Bryant told The Orange County Register that the Bynum-Bryant combo is a comparable one-two punch to what the Lakers had with Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.
"Yeah," Bryant said. "He's obviously commanding double teams. He's commanding them. It frees everybody else up when you have a player who is going to put that much pressure on the defense."
Bryant and Bynum didn't get to work together to the finish of the Lakers' 107-104 loss in Houston on Tuesday night, however. Bynum was ejected for a second technical foul and logged just 23 minutes. Bynum will return to action in Dallas on Wednesday night.
NOTES, QUOTES
Kupchak says Gasol was never a serious trade candidate
--Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said as a guest on "The Dan Patrick Show" on Tuesday that the Lakers did not seriously engage anyone in trade talks about Pau Gasol in the final week before the NBA trade deadline Thursday. Kupchak added it was very difficult to end Derek Fisher's tenure, expressing how "thankful" he was for Fisher's contributions.
--Former Laker Robert Horry sat courtside in Houston next to longtime Rocket Yao Ming to watch the Lakers-Rockets game Tuesday night. Lakers coach Mike Brown said it was disappointing that Yao's career didn't last longer because of injury: "You feel for a guy like that, especially with the way that he was an ambassador for the game of basketball, not only in China but worldwide, especially when you're talking about the NBA. So it was tough to see his career cut short like it was, but I'm sure he's going to do positive things for the game and for what he believes in."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Derek's desire to win a sixth championship is what drives him and will continue to drive him as he moves forward." -- Jamie Wior, Derek Fisher's publicist.
ROSTER REPORT
PLAYER NOTES:
--G Kobe Bryant discarded the much-heralded protective mask over his broken nose Tuesday night in Houston. Bryant had shot 3-for-20 from the field in the Lakers' loss to Utah on Sunday night, contributing to the change. Bryant had worn the mask since the All-Star Game. The change didn't yield great results, and Bryant shot 10-for-27 from the field.
--F Christian Eyenga probably won't play much, if at all, for the Lakers this season. Eyenga, acquired from Cleveland at the trade deadline with Ramon Sessions for Luke Walton, Jason Kapono and a first-round pick, is probably going to play more for the Los Angeles D-Fenders in the NBA Development League. Eyenga is in his second NBA season out of Congo.
--F Jordan Hill got his first Lakers game action Tuesday night in his old city of Houston after Andrew Bynum was ejected. The one minute played was Hill's debut since being acquired for Derek Fisher and a first-round pick at the trade deadline -- and he stands out: He wears a headband, which none of the other Lakers do. Hill was the eighth overall pick in the 2009 draft but has not developed much of an offensive repertoire.
MEDICAL WATCH:
--G Kobe Bryant (nasal fracture) is playing through the injury.
--G Steve Blake (costachondral fracture) is playing through the injury.
--G Darius Morris (bruised left wrist) is day-to-day.
--F Metta World Peace (left hip bursitis) is day-to-day.
ROTATION:
Starters:
--Point guard Steve Blake
--Shooting guard Kobe Bryant
--Small forward Metta World Peace
--Power forward Pau Gasol
--Center Andrew Bynum
Bench:
--Guard Ramon Sessions
--Forward Matt Barnes
--Forward Josh McRoberts
--Guard Andrew Goudelock
