Is Andrew Bynum even worth it anymore?

After the disaster that was Andrew Bynum's lone season - or rather his non-season - in Philadelphia last year, the once promising big man and championship starter was seen as a potential buy-low candidate in 2013 free agency.

And so when the Cavaliers took advantage of that price, signing Bynum to a two-year, $24.5 million contract that included one guaranteed year and $6 million guaranteed, it was seen as a low-risk, high-reward bargain.

After averaging 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 20 minutes through just 24 games with the Cavs, and after his admitted clown-like behavior during a now notorious Cleveland practice, Bynum was included in a trade to Chicago that netted the Cavs Luol Deng. The Bulls then waived Bynum without him playing a game for them, as expected, and the 2012 All-Star was scooped up by the contending Pacers.

Again, even despite the continued knee issues and word of his essentially hijacking Cavs practice going viral, Indiana signing Bynum for the remainder of the season - for a reported $1 million - could be seen as a worthwhile, low-risk move. After all, Bynum could still provide some rim protection (his opponents' field goal percentage of 37.6%, albeit in a small sample size, was outstanding), and if nothing else, he was another big body to use in spot minutes as the Pacers made what was expected to be a run to at least the Conference Finals.

In addition, the Pacers nabbing him prevented the rival Heat from doing so, and even if Bynum didn't play, his relatively low price tag meant the team could do away with him if he disrupted what looked like great locker room chemistry at the time.

But now, finally, after Bynum played just two games with the Pacers over the last three-plus months thanks to those lingering knee issues, and with the Pacers deciding against keeping him around the team in the middle of their dysfunctional playoff run, the time may finally come to realize that no-risk is better than low-risk with Bynum.

The Pacers can speak as diplomatically as possible, but the fact that they seem to be saying goodbye to him rather than simply announcing he will not be available for the playoffs and keeping him with the team is a telling sign. A team with serious aspirations would rather keep the enigma that is Andrew Bynum away from their business, and who could blame them?

At this point, with all that we now know, no competent basketball executive should see signing Bynum as anything other than throwing you-know-what against the wall and hoping it sticks. By the time next season tips off, Bynum will be a former All-Star center three seasons removed from an impressive NBA campaign, with chronic knee issues, locker room concerns and just 26 games played over the last two seasons combined, a period of time that saw his various hair styles become a bigger story than anything tangible he did on a basketball court.

Turning 27 in October, with knees that act much older, Bynum's also no longer young enough for youth and potential to be much of a factor.

Bynum shot less than 42 percent from the field in his 26 games this season, posted negative offensive win shares to go with a middling rebound rate, and moved at a snail's pace most of the time, which seriously affects how much of a defensive force he can be overall despite the aforementioned rim protection.

Given all of those mounting negatives, any interested team should be able to land the former Second Team All-NBA big man on an even cheaper, buy-low contract this off-season. But NBA teams should also realize by now that perhaps the best low-risk move involving Andrew Bynum would be to avoid him altogether.