Lakers’ Andrew Bynum misses team flight to Toronto

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Andrew Bynum is 22 years old now and a 5-year NBA veteran, so one would think he knows better, that he would be more of a professional.

But obviously that’s still not the case.

When the Lakers left New York on Saturday morning to travel to Toronto, Bynum missed the team flight and was forced to pay for his own travel to Canada.

Lakers Coach Phil Jacksonsaid that Bynum would be fined -- he wouldn’t disclose the amount -- and that paying his own way was another way of punishment for the young center.

Jackson said Bynum placed his bags outside his hotel room in New York for the designated time for pickups, but perhaps fell back to sleep.

‘His bags made it to Toronto, but he didn’t,’ Jackson said, smiling. ‘So obviously he got up and put his bags outside the door and something happened between there and the bus, like going back to sleep again, or whatever. ... He’s all right. A rookie mistake you would call it, even though he’s not a rookie. There’s a standard fine for it. He paid his own plane fare.’

Jackson said that Bynum still was going to start against the Raptors tonight and that his playing time would not be lessened.

Bynum said he put his bags outside his room at 9:15, fell back asleep and woke up at 11:15 Saturday morning.

He said his ticket to Toronto cost him about $300 and that he arrived here Saturday night.

‘I was just like ‘this is crazy. I missed the flight,’ ‘’ Bynum said before Sunday night’s game against the Raptors. ‘Then I was like, ‘I’ve got to play my wan to get there.’ ‘’

-- Broderick Turner