He Wanted New Teammates: Jordan Was Fine with Trading Pippen and Grant

As stated by renowned author Sam Smith, who has been inducted into the Hall of Fame, NBA legend Michael Jordan "would have been okay" if the Chicago Bulls traded Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant for Buck Williams and Walter Davis .

In 1984, the Bulls selected Jordan through the draft, followed by adding Pippen and Grant in 1987.

Chicago didn't make it to the NBA Finals until 1991, which was discouraging for Jordan.

"He really desired different teammates; he was looking for more seasoned players," Smith stated. Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype He wouldn't mind trading [Scottie] Pippen and [Horace] Grant for [Buck Williams] and [Walter Davis], as these two ACC players were experienced and had achieved more success. This is exactly what we aimed for – having him team up with seasoned professionals like [James] Worthy and [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar] from the Lakers, along with [Robert] Parish and [Kevin McHale] from the Celtics. His preference was not to be surrounded by inexperienced players, which caused some frustration.

As demonstrated in this documentary and as we were aware, he possesses an extraordinary competitive drive taken to such lengths that he aims to humiliate his rival. Many athletes show sympathy towards their opponents during dominance; Jordan never exhibited this sentiment. Instead, he sought to increase the score even more. His mindset was akin to that of certain Southern college football coaches who strive to secure a victory with scores like 92-0. This reflects his attitude entirely."

It worked out well for the Bulls not to trade Pippen and Grant since they secured three back-to-back championships in 1991, 1992, and 1993, thanks largely to the leadership of Jordan, Pippen, and Grant.

The Chicago team went on to secure three additional championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998, featuring Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

In 1994, Grant departed the Bulls to join the Orlando Magic. In the second round of the 1995 playoffs, the Magic defeated the Bulls—the sole playoff series that Jordan lost between 1991 and 1998.

Jordan and Pippen are widely acknowledged as the best pair in NBA history. When both players took the court, the Bulls posted a record of 514 wins against 177 losses during the regular season and remained unbeaten in the NBA Finals.

Next to Jordan, Pippen put up averages of 17.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.9 blocks, whereas Jordan posted stats of 31.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.5 steals, and 0.8 blocks with Pippen by his side.

I could never come across another duo or additional support network quite like Scottie Pippen," Jordan stated in Episode 2 of The Last Dance docuseries. "It was delightful playing alongside him. His influence on how I understood and executed the game was immense. Every time people mention Michael Jordan, they must also acknowledge Scottie Pippen. Everyone talks about winning multiple titles, yet none were achieved without Scottie Pippen. That's precisely why he remains my top teammate throughout my career.

During the Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen era, the Chicago Bulls achieved a perfect 6-0 record in the NBA Finals. In 1991, they beat the Los Angeles Lakers; in 1992, they won against the Portland Trail Blazers; in 1993, they triumphed over the Phoenix Suns; in 1996, they emerged victorious against the Seattle SuperSonics; and finally, in both the 1997 and 1998 championships, they outmatched the Utah Jazz.

In 2001, Grant secured his fourth championship ring with the Lakers as a key supporting member. Throughout his career, he posted an average line of 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block across stints with the Bulls, Magic, SuperSonics, and Lakers.

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