76ers’ Andrew Bynum remains out with pain in knee

Andrew Bynum still has pain in his left knee that has kept him from making his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Bynum is in pain when he walks or attempts even light physical activity, except for swimming. He had been recovering from a bone bruise in his right knee and injured his left knee while bowling last month.

The 7-foot center will have his knees examined again Dec. 20 and did not know whether he would need an MRI exam.

“Worst-case scenario, it’s another month,” he said Monday night. “Best-case scenario, I can ramp it up.”

Bynum has not practiced or played for the 76ers since he was acquired in the off-season from the Lakers. Bynum said his right knee has improved to the point where he might have been able to play. He was again listed as inactive for Philadelphia’s game against Detroit because of bilateral bone bruises.

“There’s nothing I can do about it,” Bynum said. “It’s arthritis in the knees. Cartilage is missing. That’s not going to regrow itself. Maybe in the future, next three to five years, there may be something out there that really does help. Right now, it’s kind of a waiting game.”

ETC.

Yankees, Suzuki nearing one-year deal

The New York Yankees and outfielder Ichiro Suzuki could be reunited by the end of the week.

The two sides are nearing completion on a one-year deal, according to several reports published Monday, which would give the Yankees a stopgap replacement for free agent Nick Swisher.

Suzuki, 39, appeared rejuvenated following his midseason trade from the Seattle Mariners, batting .322 in 67 games and making a smooth transition into a Yankees clubhouse filled with fellow veterans.

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The Toronto Blue Jays hired Pat Hentgen as their bullpen coach, bringing the Cy Young Award winner back into the team’s coaching ranks.

Hentgen previously served as Toronto’s bullpen coach in 2011.

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The PGA Tour’s event in Mexico will anchor a six-tournament schedule next fall that will not include Disney for the first time in more than 40 years.

The tour next year goes to a wraparound season and will offer FedEx Cup points for the six tournaments that will kick off the 2013-14 season. That season will start with the Frys.com Open at CordeValle Golf Club in Northern California on Oct. 10-13 and conclude with the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Mexico on Nov. 14-17.

After about a two-month break, the 2013-14 schedule will resume at Kapalua, Hawaii, with the Tournament of Champions.

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Rory McIlroy won the Golf Writers Trophy for winning five times around the world and finishing the season as the undisputed No. 1 player in golf.

The award from the British-based Assn. of Golf Writers was closer than some of his other honors. McIlroy received just under half of all first-place votes on a ballot that included Europe’s winning Ryder Cup team, the Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team and Roger Chapman for winning two senior majors this year.

The AGW’s award dates to 1951 and awards the best performance by a golfer who was born or resides in Europe, including teams.

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The WNBA draft will be televised live in prime time for the first time in league history on April 15. The first round will air at 5 p.m. PDT on ESPN2, followed by the second and third rounds at 6 p.m.

Baylor’s 6-foot-8 center Brittney Griner headlines the star-studded draft class, which also includes Delaware guard/forward Elena Delle Donne and Notre Dame guard Skylar Diggins.