a guy with Bynums mercurial reputation to a locke

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Eastern Conferences top team just got more imposing. On Saturday, the Pacers added size and scoring punch to their roster by signing mercurial free agent centre Andrew Bynum for the rest of the season. Team officials did not release additional details about the contract and said Bynum was expected to join the team sometime next week. "We are obviously happy to have him join our team," Larry Bird said in a statement issued by the team less than 12 hours before Indiana hosted Brooklyn on Saturday night. "He gives us added size, he is a skilled big man and he has championship experience. With the minutes he gets, he should be a valuable addition." Adding a guy with Bynums mercurial reputation to a locker room as selfless as the Pacers is definitely a gamble, though likely a low-risk one since Bird, the Pacers president of basketball operations, has made it clear the Pacers would not pay the NBAs luxury tax and Indiana had an open spot on its roster. But if Bynum performs as he did in helping the Lakers win back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010, it could create even more lineup mismatches against two-time defending champion Miami in the East. Indiana (35-10) entered Saturday with a three-game lead over the Heat in the chase for home-court advantage and has made no secret of its desire to get the top seed in its quest to win the teams first NBA crown. Bynum will give the Pacers another big body off the bench, backing up All-Star centre Roy Hibbert. And his offensive skills give Indiana another scorer to go with the leagues best defence. Miami, which struggled against Indianas size during last seasons Eastern Conference finals, tried to close the gap by signing the oft-injured former No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden, an Indianapolis native, last summer. Oden has played sparingly this season, though he has been improving. Saturdays move could give the Pacers an even bigger advantage -- if the 7-foot-1, 285-pound centre returns to his previous form. The move also prevents the Heat from signing Bynum as had been widely speculated. But Bynum is far from a sure thing. After the Lakers traded Bynum to Philadelphia in 2012, he missed the entire season because of knee injuries. This season, after signing with Cleveland as a free agent, he played in only 24 games before he was suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team. He was eventually dealt to Chicago, which quickly released Bynum so it didnt have to guarantee the remaining $6 million owed to him this season. Since then, Bynum has been looking for a landing spot and finally settled on Indiana. "It really wasnt a hard decision, I think its the right fit for me and, in all honesty, I think weve got the best chance of winning," Bynum said in a statement. "It will be great to back up Roy and Ill do whatever I can to help this team." With Cleveland, he averaged 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds. He has career averages of 11.5 points per game and 7.7 rebounds, and his best season came in 2011-12 when he averaged 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds with the Lakers. Colin Miller Jersey .Cullen scored the go-ahead goal at 13:47 of the third period and Nashville beat the slumping Dallas Stars 3-2 on Thursday in a game that wasnt decided until the last shot of the night. Shea Theodore Jersey . Viewers in the Jets region can watch the game on TSN Jets at 6:30pm ct/7:30pm et. The game is also avialable on TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg at 7pm ct. http://www.officialgoldenknightsfanstore...ersey-c-18/.com) - Wayne Simmonds, Scott Laughton and Jakub Voracek each posted a goal and an assist as the Philadelphia Flyers thumped the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-1, on Saturday. Brayden McNabb Jersey . In a series of tweets, it is explained by the Department of Player Safety that Niederreiter makes full body contact with Burrows and although there is head contact, he does not "pick" the head in the course of making the hit. Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla. If the @MapleLeafs lose tomorrow im going to knock out Randy Carlyle. One punch between the eyes #TMLtalk #Leafs #LeafsNation #BoweLLeafsBowe — Riddick Bowe (@riddickbowe) March 27, 2014Maybe this is the spark that the Leafs need.dddddddddddd Authentic Bills Jerseys Dolphins Stitched Jerseys Cheap Patriots Jerseys Wholesale Jets Jerseys Wholesale Texans Jerseys Cheap Colts Jerseys Jaguars Jerseys Store Authentic Titans Jerseys Authentic Broncos Jerseys Authentic Chiefs Jerseys Cheap Raiders Jerseys Chargers Jerseys Store Cheap Ravens Jerseys Wholesale Bengals Jerseys Cheap Browns Jerseys Steelers Jerseys Store Wholesale Cowboys Jerseys Wholesale Giants Jerseys Authentic Eagles Jerseys Cheap Redskins Jerseys Authentic Falcons Jerseys Panthers Jerseys Store Wholesale Saints Jerseys Authentic Buccaneers Jerseys Wholesale Cardinals Jerseys Cheap 49ers Jerseys Seahawks Jerseys Store Wholesale Rams Jerseys Wholesale Bears Jerseys Authentic Lions Jerseys Cheap Packers Jerseys Vikings Jerseys Store ' ' '