Bulls Hall of Famer Almost Joined Lakers Twice Throughout Legendary Career

The six-time Chicago champ could have donned the purple and gold.

Mar 30, 1995; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan (45) talks with forward Scottie Pippen (33) after a timeout from the game against the Boston Celtics at Chicago Stadium. The Bulls beat the Celtics 100-82. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images / Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Hall of Fame former Chicago Bulls small forward Scottie Pippen knew that, after his team won its sixth championship in eight seasons circa 1998, the club was most likely doomed for a rebuild. Head coach Phil Jackson was allowed to depart in favor of unproven college coach Tim Floyd, superstar shooting guard Michael Jordan retired for the second time.

Ultimately, the Hall of Fame Bull who did join L.A. that year was unraveling power forward Dennis Rodman, who suited up for just 23 games with the Lakers.

The six-time Chicago champ and seven-time All-Star could have donned the purple and gold alongside future Hall of Famers Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant not once, but twice, after his Bulls prime. The eight-time All-Defensive Teamer revealed in his excellent 2021 memoir "Unguarded" that contemplated such a jump multiple times.

"The Lakers were my first choice," Pippen revealed. "With Shaq, 26, and Kobe, only 22, they were the team of the future — perhaps, with me providing veteran leadership, the team of the present. None of the Lakers, except for Robert Horry, had earned a ring. Los Angeles seemed perfect for me."

At the time, Los Angeles was coming off a 61-21 run and a four-game defeat to Karl Malone and John Stockton's Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Finals.

Instead, Pippen inked a sign-and-trade deal with the Houston Rockets, joining a core of aging fellow Hallow Famers in center Hakeem Olajuwon, shooting guard Clyde Drexler, and power forward Charles Barkley. That club went an impressive 31-19 during a lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, and ultimately fell to the Lakers in the first round that spring.

Bulls head coach Phil Jackson was hired to lead Bryant and O'Neal to the promised land that summer, and Pippen considered insinuating his way to Los Angeles.

"In any case, that summer, I spread the word that I wanted out of Houston — if possible, to hook up with the Lakers, who had recently hired a new coach I was a little familiar with, Phil Jackson," Pippen noted. "At least I knew Phil wouldn't tolerate players showing up out of shape or not working hard enough, as he, as well as Tex Winter, one of L.A.'s assistant coaches, would make sure everyone got involved in the offense."

Instead, Pippen worked out a trade to the Portland Trail Blazers — where he would be defeated in the playoffs yet again. This time, Portland went 59-23 and pushed L.A. to seven games in a hard-fought Western Conference Finals. That deep, long, talented Blazers squad actually led the Lakers by as many as 15 points in the final contest's fourth quarter, but O'Neal and Bryant sparked a legendary rally that set the stage for their first title together. The Lakers would vanquish Reggie Miller's Indiana Pacers in six games during the first of three straight NBA Finals appearances.

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