He had just undergone various shooting drills to test the sprained left ankle that has caused him to miss the past 15 games and will likely keep him out of tonight's game against the Magic.
At first glance as he weaved around the practice facility floor, he looked just like the jitterbug that has dazzled Palace fans with a sharp crossover and emphatic dunks. But you could tell he didn't have his normal lift when rising for a jump shot.
This is the first time Bynum has missed a significant amount of time because of an injury. Add in that the team has slumped to a woeful 15-30 record in what is a contract year for Bynum, and it makes for a frustrating time for the third-year point guard.
"It's frustrating in general. It's frustrating because it's my contract year. It's frustrating because we're losing. It's frustrating watching the games. It's frustrating challenging myself to stay inside of what we're doing as a team to keep myself going," Bynum said. "It's all that in one, and it's frustrating because it's new to me.
"But I'm constantly working at it and constantly trying to stay positive and just try to push through it."
Bynum signed a two-year deal with the Pistons before last season and will be a restricted free agent after the season -- meaning the Pistons can match any offer he receives. But he can't think about that too much as he fights to remain positive and get back on the floor.
"It's tough, especially with so much negativity around as far as us losing games and negativity is the first thing that creeps up in your mind when you're down or losing something," Bynum said. "This is the time that builds character, which builds who you are, and I feel like going through these times do nothing but make you tougher."
NOTEBOOK: Pistons coach John Kuester said practice was devoted to a lot of shooting and discussing the Magic. He also said the starting lineup will remain the same for now.
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