Michael Jordan reunited with Scottie Pippen back in 1995. It was pure luck, seeing as Scottie was nearly traded to Seattle the previous year!
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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!
Drafted 5th overall by Seattle, Scottie Pippen gets traded to Chicago & Seattle gets the Bulls’ 8th overall pick, Olden Polynice (6/22/87) pic.twitter.com/EBlHG88qpC
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) June 23, 2017
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.”
Shawn Kemp got 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-peated from 1996-98? 🤔
FULL INTERVIEW: https://t.co/mZxRUxta3w pic.twitter.com/vFOppbULTc
— NBA Buzz (@OfficialNBABuzz) September 15, 2021
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!