6’6 Michael Jordan wouldn’t return to Chicago if Jerry Krause traded Scottie Pippen for Shawn Kemp

Nithin Joseph | 13/09/2022
6'6 Michael Jordan wouldn't return to Chicago if Jerry Krause traded Scottie Pippen for Shawn Kemp

Michael Jordan reunited with Scottie Pippen back in 1995. It was pure luck, seeing as Scottie was nearly traded to Seattle the previous year!

The Chicago Bulls had perhaps one of the greatest duos of all time for the majority of the 90s. The pairing of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen was unstoppable.

The duo won six of the 10 championships available in that decade, only missing out on four. Two of which were lost when MJ took a short break from basketball.

In fact, one could argue that the Bulls would not have been the dynasty of the 90s if they hadn’t traded for Pippen in 1987. A deal that would go down as one of the greatest in NBA history!

Also Read: Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen still get along with each other and strengthened their bond, but not with Michael Jordan!

However, the dominance of the Bulls was almost cut short for real. Seeing as the six-time NBA Champion was almost traded back to the Supersonics in 1994.

Scottie Pippen was almost traded away 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.

However, a year later on the draft night of 1994, Pippen was introduced to a possibility he was all too familiar with. One that could have possibly changed the entire course of NBA history.

Back in 94, the team that originally drafted Pippen, the Seattle Supersonics was the subject of a possible trade destination for the Hall of Famer. Rumors suggested that a trade involving Shaun Kemp, Ricky Pierce, and a first-round pick swap was on the table! 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 been as comfortable as I was with Scottie.”

It truly is one of the biggest ‘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 to Michael Jordan’s sneaky tricks for 170 days! 

Post Edited By: Samir Mehdi
Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan Scottie Pippen

About the author

Nithin Joseph

Nithin is a content writer at The SportsRush. Like his favorite athlete Kobe Bryant, the company has helped Nithin elevate his writing skills to a whole new level, especially as an NBA content writer. With over 1500 articles to his name, Nithin's love for the sport knows no bounds. And, as he continues to watch the sport on a daily basis, he hopes his fascination with the NBA, especially the Miami Heat will inspire more and more readers to give the sport a chance. Perhaps, one day making basketball in India as big as it is in the United States.

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