For a long time it didn't look like it was going to happen, but Andrew Bynum and the Lakers finally came to terms on a four-year, $58 million contract. The deal won't be officially announced until this afternoon, but here's the skinny:Bynum was hoping to get a deal that averaged $17 million a season; the Lakers only wanted to pay $11 million. In the end, they quite literally split the difference: the first three years will average $14 million, followed by a team option in the fourth year worth $16 million.
For a guy who just turned 21 years old this week, it's not a bad deal. The extension doesn't kick in until next season -- he'll make just $2.8 million this season -- so he may want to wait a bit before he sprinkles too much of his newfound wealth on the dance floor. If the two sides couldn't agree to an extension before November, Bynum would have became a restricted free agent next summer.
(via BDL)
