When NBA legend Michael Jordan believed he would return to the Bulls along with Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson, after winning their fourth title in 1996.
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The 1996 Chicago Bulls team was one of the greatest shows in the history of the NBA. The 1995-96 season was the resurrection of Michael Jordan as the best player in the NBA. The superstar was coming off a sem-finals exit the previous season after returning from his stint in baseball.
Though nobody doubted the skill-set of MJ, there was doubt about the Bulls being champions again. However, Jordan would once again trump his critics and naysayers. The Bulls would have the most successful season in NBA history with a 72-10 record.
Jordan won the league MVP, All-Star MVP, Finals MVP, and the scoring title. The Bulls legend was at the top of the NBA heap. At the time, Bulls forward Scottie Pippen had blossomed into one of the top players in the league. During MJ’s sabbatical, Pippen had carried the Bulls to the playoffs and finished third in the MVP race.
After winning the 1996 NBA championship, Jordan and Pippen would address the media. MJ publicly stated that he would not be returning if Pippen wasn’t on the team.
Michael Jordan is grateful the Shawn Kemps-Scottie Pippen trade didn’t fall through.
While addressing the media post winning the 1996 NBA championship, Jordan sang praises for his teammate Pippen. The Bulls superstar spoke about the development of Pippen over the years.
His Airness silenced all the murmurs around a trade for Pippen with the following statement.
“He’s not going nowhere, said MJ.”
“He’s one of the reasons I came back. If he leaves, I’m leaving again. As much as I admire Shawn Kemp’s ability, I’m so happy that they didn’t make that trade. A lot of people doubted Scottie Pippen for a long period of time, and you know, he’s become like a little brother to me. I am very happy that he has come back today and answered a lot of critics. To the work, he has done, in the eighteen months that I was away. I am very blessed to be a part of his team. And to see him grow so much in the last eight years, it’s truly a blessing for the city of Chicago.”
The Pippen-Kemp trade was one of the most talked-about topics during the 1994 draft night. Jordan had hung his boots and taken to play pro baseball. At the time, Pippen single-handedly carried the Bulls and did a pretty good job with it.
“Pippen’s name was involved in a trade rumor that had him being sent back to the Sonics in exchange for superstar power forward Shawn Kemp and two-time Sixth Man of the Year Ricky Pierce. The two teams would’ve swapped first-round draft picks as well.
The trade was never completed. Pippen remained in Chicago and teamed with Jordan—who later made a comeback—to lead the Bulls to another three titles. And Kemp, on the other hand, continued to be a great player for a few more years until battling with weight and drug problems.”
Via: Bleacher Report
Ironically, Pippen and Kemp were pitted against each other during the 1996 NBA Finals, with Pippen winning his fourth ring.
