Chicago Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf has a tough, stingy reputation. The Bulls owner was infamous for not paying his players the kind of money they deserved. Reinsdorf used a variety of tactics during negotiations to ensure that he would get what he wanted. Michael Jordan, who was terribly underpaid until the 1995-96 season, threatened to leave the franchise if he didn’t receive better terms.
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Of course, Jordan was not the only player on whom Reinsdorf was known to use such tactics. In Sam Smith’s “The Jordan Rules,” Smith revealed how Reinsdorf used similar tactics against Scottie Pippen. However, Pippen was equally rigid and refused to go to practice until he received better terms.
Chicago Bulls’ Jerry Reinsdorf used unique tactics against Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen
Reinsdorf’s habit of underpaying his players was a constant problem for Jordan and his teammates. Pippen had signed a 7-year contract in 1991, and he earned around $2.7 million per year.
In 1999, he signed a 5-year deal that took his earnings up to over $15.4 million per year. Reinsdorf would allow GM Jerry Krause to make an initial offer, and would then increase the last offer during meetings.
Reinsdorf would try and be comforting, and even order Krause to stay quiet, sometimes in front of the agents. This was something the Bulls’ $2.2 billion worth owner did as a habit, even after most people knew about it. However, Scottie Pippen simply refused to train:
“I was told that’s the way it worked with the Bulls,” said rookie agent Roger Kirschenbaum, who represented Levingston. “But Krause makes it so hard and gets you so mad you seem to forget.”
Then Reinsdorf would move in with a seemingly generous offer and a deal would quickly be agreed upon. It would be the price Reinsdorf was going to give them in the first place, but they’d be so glad to be dealing with someone so reasonable that they’d take it.
But Pippen had had it with Krause. There would be no talking with him, not even with Reinsdorf, this time. “Why bother?” he told Sexton. Sexton urged Pippen to go to camp, that he had to be there to get a deal done, and that Reinsdorf wouldn’t deal any other way.
Pippen was stubborn. “Let them see how many games they’ll win without me,” he said.”
25-year old Scotti Pippen was grossly underpaid by Chicago Bulls
Pippen’s 5-year contract made him the 122nd highest-paid NBA player. He was also the 6th highest paid player for the Bulls, according to CBS.
Pippen played the first four years for the Bulls on a $2.8 million, 4-year rookie contract. This meant an annual salary of slightly over $700k.
Regardless, while Jerry Reinsdorf was only looking to save money for the franchise, Pippen was one of the most talented players in the league. His overall pay was obviously far less than what he deserved. Hence, the player had every right to fight for better terms, and still ended up being underpaid by the Bulls.
