Don't count on Scottie Pippen, being around with the Bulls
for a 12th season. According to Pippen's agent, if the fowward
doesn't play for the Bulls next season, he'll probably sign with
the Rockets.
CHICAGO, Jan. 13 � So Michael�s gone, now what
about Scottie? Consider Pippen done too. Bulls
owner Jerry Reinsdorf did everything in his
power to convince Jordan he would bring Pippen
back. But it didn�t work. Reinsdorf all but
guaranteed that in a July interview with
MSNBC, despite saying in the past he�d �be
inclined to bring everyone back,� if the Bulls win
their sixth title, which they later did by beating
the Jazz.
The Complete Article
�IF HE GETS a long-term deal or a deal for a lot of
money, he should take it,� Reinsdorf told MSNBC
regarding Pippen. �That would be my advice to him.�
The bottom line is Reinsdorf didn�t seem to care if
Pippen comes back or not.
Not that Pippen is looking for affection � or more
championships. With rings enough to outfit an entire hand,
Pippen is looking for a payday equal to his abilities.
Talk is he�ll find it from one free-agent suitor or
another � if not the Suns, perhaps the Rockets or Lakers.
Nobody will have to go much to top Pippen�s salary in this,
the last season of his current, seven-year contract � a
$2.775 million payout that left him the 122nd-highest paid
player in the league � though Pippen is said to be looking
for a deal in the neighborhood of four years and $56 million,
which is the maximum allowed by the recent labor
agreement.
It was learned Tuesday that Pippen might be signed by
the Rockets if he doesn�t re-sign with the Bulls, according
to his agent.
�I would say right now they�re at the top of the list,�
agent Jimmy Sexton told Houston TV station KRIV.
�We�ve talked several times since the league lifted the
contact rules.�
Sexton said there are three or four other teams Pippen
is seriously considering, but the Rockets and Bulls are the
two biggest options.
�I would say that we�re much further down the road
with the Rockets right now in talking about his future than
we even are with Chicago,� the agent said.
If the offers Pippen receives � and he should get
more because of the limited imposed by the agreement �
are in line with his reported desires, Reinsdorf�s instincts for
pleasing his customers will no doubt come up short to his
instincts for protecting the bottom line.
At 32 and having played, via so many trips to the
playoffs and various Olympiads, more games than just
about anyone on the planet in the �90s, this is Pippen�s last,
best shot at a long-term, cash bonanza. Even a big one-year
deal is a gamble against future earnings that Pippen would
be unwise to take.
And remember,
Reinsdorf is the owner
who was also inclined to
bring back Horace
Grant and, in his other
sporting venture, Jack
McDowell, but
ultimately couldn�t bring
himself to write a big
enough check.
Indeed, Grant�s
view of the plusses and
minuses of leaving,
offered when his Orlando Magic came through the United
Center just before the end of the regular season, should
prove instructive to his old friend.
The toughest part?
�Just leaving a city like Chicago is very difficult,� Grant
said. �Guys you�ve sort of grown up with in terms of playing
basketball. Sort of like a family atmosphere. You miss that a
lot.�
The easiest?
�Money,� he said.
The same day Grant voiced those thoughts, Pippen
conceded he�d like to finish his career with the Bulls,
adding, �But that�s not going to happen. I accept the fact
that it�s not.�
And even before Jordan retired, Reinsdorf was telling
the rest of the world to accept it, as well.
BACK TO MAIN PAGE