The Lakers exercised their $16.1 million option on Andrew Bynum Monday, locking the All-Star center in for another season and gifting L.A. another year to figure out the direction of the team. 

If you are surprised by this, then you are new to this game or simply have not been paying attention. We shared the report with you in March that the Lakers were going to lock up the big guy. This was a no-brainer for the Lakers.  

The Lakers are able now to go comfortably forward with Bynum if that's their chosen path, or pursue Dwight Howard with Bynum's future flexibility as a selling point. The question of signing Bynum to an extension is going to be a delicate one as there is no sure indication that the Lakers believe that this core is the future of the franchise. It does mean that the Lakers, despite trades of Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher which were believed to have been cost-saving measures, aren't totally bottoming out the salaries to get under the cap and avoid the repeater tax in 2015.

Bynum averaged 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in a career season in 2012. Despite the offense being significantly restructured to get Bynum touches (Bynum averaged more possessions per game than any season under Phil Jackson according to Synergy Sports),  Bynum clashed with coach Mike Brown, sitting out huddles and generally acting like Andrew Bynum. Lingering questions about his maturity provide the Lakers with a conundrum about his future. 

But for now, the franchise center is locked up.