"I'm just young," Bynum, 21, said. "I'm just living, waiting to get back to basketball. If people think I wasn't serious about coming back, I wouldn't be going to these exercises right now doing two hours of defensive slides."
Bynum apologized for being an hour late for the interview. He had been working out with Bill Bertka, the Lakers' director of scouting and basketball consultant, and his personal trainer, Sean Zarzana, at the team's training facility in El Segundo.
Bertka has Bynum going through a series of fast-break, defensive and offensive drills.
Bynum has been playing two-on-two and three-on-three in recent days against free agents.
He has lifted weights to strengthen his quads and hamstrings to make sure the ligaments around his knees are strong.
"The last three weeks have been really big," Bynum said. "I was not so good the first week. But then I got better after that. Now I've gotten better. Now it's time to up the rehab load and see what happens."
That could come today, when Bynum hopes to play two-on-two and three-on-three against some of his Lakers teammates when the team returns home from a seven-game, 13-day journey.
During his down time, Bynum has tried to keep sane by playing video games, looking for a home and sightseeing in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
"Oh, I've been killing the movies. Hollywood has been making a fortune off me," Bynum said.
He has watched every Lakers' away game.
"When I watch it, I'm totally a fan," Bynum said. "I'm yelling at them."
Soon, he hopes to be back with his teammates.
Soon, he hopes he will be able to stop answering questions from those who wonder whether he's injury prone.
Bynum suffered a left kneecap injury last season after he stepped on Lamar Odom's foot. Bynum missed the final 46 regular-season games before having season-ending surgery.
Bynum tore his MCL after Kobe Bryant crashed into his right knee.
"I tell people I don't feel I'm injury-prone, because both of the accidents obviously were freak accidents," Bynum said.
Bynum was the starting center and averaged 14 points and 8.2 rebounds before he was injured.
"I definitely want to start, but obviously it's in Phil's hands," Bynum said of Lakers Coach Phil Jackson's plans for his return.
Bynum added that Lamar Odom has been playing well, and stated his priority.
"I just want to get a ring," Bynum said.
The final decision on when he plays will "ultimately be up to me," Bynum says, adding that he wants to be sure and have confidence his knee will hold up.
"The question is when I say I'm ready, 'Am I comfortable with it?' " Bynum said. "I don't know right know if I could go out there and play a 100%, full, all-out game. I don't have confidence in the knee just yet. But I'm getting there and I believe I'll be ready for the first round."
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broderick.turner@latimes.com
