Isiah Thomas never shies away from speaking his mind and stirring up controversy, especially about Michael Jordan. The Hall of Famer has had unresolved issues with the six-time NBA champion since the late 1980s and blames him for being left out of the 1992 Dream Team that competed in the Barcelona Olympics. He was back at it on X recently and made another eyebrow-raising statement about Jordan’s role in the Bulls dynasty.
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During a back-and-forth discussion with fans about general managers surrounding stars with talented players, Thomas claimed that Jerry Krause was the greatest executive across any sport in America. When one fan disagreed and claimed he was lucky to have Jordan, probably the best player ever, the Pistons icon said in response that the Bulls would’ve won championships even without the superstar guard.
He admitted that the franchise likely wouldn’t have won six championships and three-peated twice. However, Thomas claimed that a team built around Scottie Pippen and Toni Kukoc would’ve won at least two rings. He wrote,
“I disagree [Scottie Pippen] and [Toni] Kokoc were good enough at that time to win one maybe 2 definitely not 6.”
I disagree Pipin and Kokoc were good enough at that time to win one maybe 2 definitely not 6. https://t.co/CRglEVnlXb
— Isiah Thomas (@IsiahThomas) August 22, 2024
Unsurprisingly, not many bought this argument. However, a few fans pointed out evidence backing Thomas’ take.
Scottie Pippen’s incredible season without Michael Jordan
When Jordan first retired in 1993, the Bulls replaced him with Pete Myers, who had spent the previous two years playing in Italy and Canada. He played all 82 games, started 81, and averaged 7.9 points, three assists, and 2.2 rebounds. It was a steep drop compared to Jordan, who averaged 29.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and five assists in the 1992-93 regular season.
Despite losing their best player and replacing him with a below-par journeyman, the Bulls finished the year 55-27, only two wins less than the previous year. They could remain contenders without Jordan because a rookie Kukoc made an immediate impact and Pippen shouldered the responsibility of filling the void the retired superstar left.
The Croatian forward was drafted in 1990 but stayed in Europe until 1993. However, in his debut season, he showcased why Krause was eager to have him on the roster. He averaged 10.9 points, four rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals, bringing dynamism back to the team that sorely needed it.
But the season is best remembered for Pippen’s heroics. With Jordan retired, his sidekick now had the opportunity to play the lead role and he did not let it slide. He averaged 22 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2.9 steals and finished fourth in the MVP race.
Their playoff run was cut short in the second round as the Knicks beat them 4-3 and ended the Bulls’ three-year stint as champions. However, Pippen showcased that he could be the first option on a team contending for the title. Had the front office been more ambitious and replaced Jordan with a star player, they could’ve won the title in 1993 without him.
The retired guard’s return in March 1995 ended Pippen’s brief stint as the face of the franchise. However, the sole season that he was allowed to lead the team, he proved that with the right pieces around him he could’ve led the Bulls to a championship without Jordan.
