This is and was clearly a case of should he or shouldn't he?

One was clearly right and one definitely wrong … unless you think differently.

The subject matters are Larry Bird, president of the Indiana Pacers and Mitch Kupchak, general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers.

As the Lakers are cruising along at 23-11 after Wednesday's games, just 1.5 games out of not only first place in the Pacific Division, but the Western Conference, the screaming for Kupchak's head in the wake of Kobe Bryant's off-season foot-stomping has ceased. In fact, you might take a look at what Kupchak has done with the roster, bringing back Derek Fisher -- and even adding Trevor Ariza -- and say, "Gee, maybe we were just a little harsh with ol' Mitch."

But that isn't even the point. We know the health of Lamar Odom as the yang to whatever Bryant opts to yin, is paramount to their success. And lately, it's been OK. But that's only part the equation. The other half is The Kid … Andrew Bynum. Yeah, you know the guy.  He's the 20-year-old center Bryant belittled through every mode of communication imaginable from coast-to-coast: radio, television, web sites, cell phones, land lines and rumor has it he was so irritated at one point about the lack of action he picked up a megaphone and just started ranting from his SoCal rooftop.

Well, four months and 34 games later, Bynum is averaging 12.9 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.1 blocks under the tutelage of one Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And don't forget Bynum never went to college and had such little basketball experience through his senior year in high school, that it's a little awe-inspiring to consider what he'll be like as he physically and mentally matures.

So what does this have to with Bird, the erstwhile superstar player, good coach and unproven Pacers prez?

Well, Bird probably could have had Bynum in a package that would have brought Jermaine O'Neal to the Lakers. On the surface, it would have looked like a steal for the Lakers, considering the 6-11, 260-pound O'Neal was just shy of 29, a five-time All-Star and a legit 20-point, 10-rebound, 2-block possibility.

That's the perceived J-O, not the J-O of today. He's the one whose numbers aren't any better than Bynum's – averaging a few more points at 15.6, a tick more blocks at 2.2, but only 7.3 rebounds. Oh, and we might add he's played in 30 of the 37 games. That wouldn't necessarily be an issue had it not been an issue for the previous three years too.

Bynum is a young 20 by NBA standards. O'Neal is an old 29, having entered the league at 17. His numbers have dipped each of the past three seasons. You can look at his knee, shoulder, ankle and any other number of body parts to know he's breaking down. Including what he's played so far in 2007-08, he will average about 56 games a year and he makes $20 million.

This isn't to say Bynum will ever be a 20-10 guy. But the potential is certainly there and Kupchak now has a team that is improving daily for coach Phil Jackson and gaining confidence to the point that they will be dangerous late this season – health permitting. Kupchak did the right thing.

And to be fair, although O'Neal only has had two seasons during which he averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, he was close a few other occasions. But he's missed so many games, the line is blurred. Bird reportedly turned down a deal of O'Neal for Richard Jefferson and Nenad Krstic (who's battling back from his own knee surgery but is only 24). The buzz was also out that there were clusters of good young players available from the deep but redundant rosters of the Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns.

Why would they all be interested? The NBA is preoccupied with size and O'Neal has it, provided he can actually run and jump on occasion. Has Bird waited too long? The perception was out there all off-season that O'Neal was the next best thing available to Kevin Garnett. Five year's ago he was a poor man's KG. Today, he is perhaps the broken down version.

He'll never get star quality in return at this point and the Pacers are 2.5 games out of the last playoff spot in the East. Isn't it time to cut and run with the Feb. 21 trade deadline looming?

And let's best honest, they're not going anywhere with O'Neal. They may as well take a shot at reconstruction using him as bait.

Just know that you won't find Bynum and Odom-plus for him now.