From the Tribune:
Spoiler:
LinkJordan Pushes Trade
Told His Friend Karl That If Sonics Made The Deal For Pippen, They'd Win Nba Title
July 01, 1994|By Sam Smith, Tribune Pro Basketball Writer.
The Scottie Pippen trade to Seattle may not be dead-in part because Michael Jordan told SuperSonics coach George Karl that Seattle would be the major beneficiary of the deal.
And that could help alter public sentiment in Seattle, where fans apparently had swayed Sonics owner Barry Ackerly to reject the trade.
Sources close to Karl said the Seattle coach, who was a player at North Carolina and a frequent golfing partner of Jordan, spent much of the last several days consulting with friends and associates about the deal and that Jordan told him, "You'll be getting the best of it." He said he thought the deal would assure Seattle a championship next season.
But the widely reported trade-Pippen for Shawn Kemp and Ricky Pierce and a swap of draft picks-would have to be seriously changed to make it work, for salary-cap reasons.
That's because Seattle now has changed directions and is close to trading the No. 11 draft pick, Carlos Rogers, and Pierce to Golden State for Sarunas Marciulionis and Byron Houston.
Pierce was needed in the Pippen deal for salary-cap reasons, but Seattle also would like to deal Kendall Gill and could look to a desperate Bulls team that is sure to continue to entertain offers for Pippen.
Pippen was in seclusion Thursday in Arkansas. His agent, Jimmy Sexton, said Pippen was extremely hurt by the Bulls' obvious attempts to trade him but hadn't decided on any course of action for now.
"Scottie said, `If that's it, that's it,"' related Sexton. "He said, `If that's what they want, fine.' "
Other friends close to Pippen said he was sure he'd be traded now and was preparing for the change.
Pippen's value is not lost on other NBA executives, who are looking at the chance to make a major score with Pippen.
One reason the Sonics may still be interested in dealing is that they believe they can lure Bulls free agent Horace Grant to play with Pippen in a combined deal. That reportedly was Karl's plan, which was vetoed by Ackerly. Seattle also was talking to Sacramento about a Gill-Mitch Richmond trade.
Don't blame Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause this time. The Bulls reportedly did all they could to complete the deal, even though league observers said it would benefit Seattle more right now because Pippen is so superior in ability to Kemp. But the deal would prevent the Bulls from stumbling like former champions Boston, Los Angeles and Detroit.
Kemp is regarded as primarily a Western Conference open-court player who fares badly in half-court play because he has no post-up game and doesn't like physical play-something of a Dominique Wilkins with less overall ability at power forward. But in the right system, the feeling is his game could still develop because he is only 24.
Reportedly, the Bulls were even willing to back off the demand of a swap of draft picks to keep the deal from falling apart, but to no avail.
"I can tell you we never shopped Shawn Kemp since I've been here," said Karl. "But a team did present a trade to us that we did consider. I will not deny that."
One irony is that in the unlikely event Jordan ever decides to return to the Bulls, they would benefit by keeping Pippen. Jordan told Karl he admires Pippen's talent, and Pippen has said he'd enjoy a return to his old role, with Jordan as star and Toni Kukoc as bit player.
That scenario also would be the Bulls' best chance to retain Grant, who, despite his many feuds with Jordan, would like the chance to reclaim former Bulls glories.
But all that seems rather remote, with the Pippen deal off for now.
Meanwhile, Bulls rivals seem to be improving.
The Pacers Thursday finally made the long-rumored trade of Pooh Richardson, Malik Sealy and the draft rights to Eric Piatkowski to the Los Angeles Clippers for point guard Mark Jackson and the rights to Greg Minor. And the Knicks are said to be waiting to take a shot at veteran scorer Chuck Person, who is expected to be set free by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Bucks made a minor deal, Blue Edwards for Boston's Ed Pinckney, and are expected to sign Croatian Stojko Vrankovic away from the Bulls, who have been pursuing the 7-foot-2-inch center.
And the Bulls' longest summer is only beginning.
