Michael Jordan met Scottie Pippen in 1995. It was sheer luck, as Scottie almost got traded to Seattle the year before!
The Chicago Bulls had perhaps one of the best duos of all time for most of the ’90s. The duo of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen was unstoppable.
The duo won six of the 10 available championships in that decade, missing only four. Two of which were lost when MJ took a short break from basketball.
In fact, one could argue that the Bulls wouldn’t have been the dynasty of the ’90s if they hadn’t traded for Pippen in 1987. A deal that would be one of the best in NBA history!
Drafted 5th overall by Seattle, Scottie Pippen is traded to Chicago and Seattle gets the Bulls’ 8th overall pick, Olden Polynice (6/22/87) pic.twitter.com/EBlHG88qpC
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) June 23, 2017
Also read: Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen still get along and strengthened their bond, but not with Michael Jordan!
However, the Bulls’ dominance was almost cut short for real. Seeing as the six-time NBA champion almost got traded to the Supersonics in 1994.
Scottie Pippen was almost traded from the Bulls and sent back to the Sonics before Michael Jordan’s return.
In 1993, Michael Jordan retired from basketball and decided to pursue a career in baseball. The reins of the Chicago Bulls were handed over to the team’s second-in-command, Scottie Pippen.
A year later, however, on draft night in 1994, Pippen was presented with an opportunity he was all too familiar with. One that could have possibly changed the entire course of NBA history.
In ’94, the team that originally drafted Pippen, the Seattle Supersonics, was the subject of a possible trade assignment for the Hall of Famer. Rumors suggested a trade involving Shaun Kemp, Ricky Pierce, and a first-round pick trade was on the cards! Michael Jordan was even quoted as saying: “Probably not [return to the NBA in 1995]. I could have played with Shawn, but I wouldn’t have felt as comfortable as I did with Scottie.”
Shawn Kemp was traded to the Chicago Bulls for Scottie Pippen in 1994, but the trade was reversed because Seattle fans threatened to burn down the stadium 😳
Would Kemp and Jordan have three times between 1996 and 1998? 🤔
FULL INTERVIEW: https://t.co/mZxRUxta3w pic.twitter.com/vFOppbULTc
— NBA Buzz (@OfficialNBABuzz) September 15, 2021
It truly is one of the greatest “what ifs” of all time. Luckily, neither Pippen, Jordan, or Bulls fans around the world had to find out!
Also read: Scottie Pippen Lost $100 On Michael Jordan’s Sneaky Tricks For 170 Days!
